| Track | Country/Region | Title | Instrumentation | Notes | Performance recorded | Timing | |
| 1 | Japan | Daiwa gaku by Jin Nyodo (1891-1966) | Shakuhachi | See Music of the Peoples of the World, p. 309-310, 321-323 | Bill Shozan Schultz | 3:08 | |
| 2 | Japan | Excerpt from Ise-Dai Kagura [Grand Festival of Ise] | Kagura ensemble: taiko drums, fue (flutes), others | A lion dance at a folk festival, or kagura, from the
Masuda Shrine of Kuwana, annually performed on December 24. See Music of the Peoples of the World, p. 311-312 |
1:46 | ||
| 3 | Japan | Example of Shomyo (Buddhist chant) | Chorus, woodblock | This is a recording of a rite known as Shuni-e
or Hana-e Shiki. The performance begins with the hitting of an iron
or copper gong with a bone mallet. The monks then recite the names of the
Boddhisattvas, the holy men who have retained human form even after reaching
nirvana, so that they may enlighten others. The leader of the chant is
called the doshi. See Music of the Peoples of the World, p. 312-313 |
Monks at Yakushi-ji Temple in Nara | 0:58 | |
| 4 | Japan | Japanese scales (ryo, ritsu, yo, in, ryukyu) and demonstrations of shakuhachi ornamentation and playing techniques | Shakuhachi | See Music of the Peoples of the World, p. 313-314 and Graphic 15.1 | Bill Shozan Schultz | 4:45 | |
| 5 | Japan | Etenraku, Nokorigaku Sanben | Gagaku orchestra | See Music of the Peoples of the World, p. 314-320 | Imperial Court Ensemble of Tokyo (Legacy International Records) | 9:45 | |
| 6 | Japan | Yatsuhashi Kengyo (1614-1685): Rokudan no shirabe [Study in Six Sections] | Koto | See Music of the Peoples of the World, p. 324-326 | Nakanoshima Kin'ichi (JVC International records) | 7:44 | |
| 7 | Japan | Azuma Jishi [The Lion Dance of Jishi] | A san-kyoku ensemble consisting of shamisen, koto, and shakuhachi | A late eighteenth-century piece for classical ensemble. The shakuhachi quotes a version of Rokudan (track 6) when it first enters. See Music of the Peoples of the World, p. 320-321, fig. 15.5 | Members of the Ensemble Nipponia | 3:37 | |
| 8 | Japan | Excerpt from Deha | Noh ensemble | Noh drama. See Music of the Peoples of the World, p. 324, 327-328 | 2:30 | ||
| 9 | Japan | Excerpt from Mitsu men komori [The Three Masks of Komori] | Kabuki orchestras, voices | A kabuki drama composed in 1829. In this scene a young nanny attempts to amuse a small child by dancing with three masks. See Music of the Peoples of the World, p. 329-331 | 2:32 |