[Column] Keiji Haino - Pilgrimage of sound that transcends boundaries
Column en experimental improvisation![[Column] Keiji Haino - Pilgrimage of sound that transcends boundaries](/../assets/images/column-keiji-haino.webp)
Who is Keiji Haino?
Text: mmr｜Theme: Understanding the expansion of experimental music and acoustic exploration through Keiji Haino’s works and activities
Maverick of underground music
When talking about the history of Japanese experimental music, there is one person whose name always comes up. My name is Keiji Haino.
Guitar, voice, percussion, electronic instruments. He is a person who has continued to create music that does not fit into existing genres, using all kinds of sounds.
It’s not even rock. It’s not even jazz. It’s not even noise.
However, it has left its mark on all areas.
Since the 1970s, he has been active at the center of Japan’s underground music scene, crossing over into improvisation, noise, psychedelic, drone, and folk singing.
He has often collaborated with experimental musicians and rock musicians from overseas, and has received high praise internationally.
On the other hand, media exposure is extremely low.
On stage, he is known for his iconic appearance in black clothing, long hair, and sunglasses, and is also known for his performance that does not ““imitate’’ his own or others’ performances.
He is an artist who presents not only the music itself, but also the act of performing through true improvisation.
Keiji Haino is not just a musician, he is something of a spiritual explorer in Japanese experimental music.
Boyhood and encounter with music
A generation shocked by rock and blues
Keiji Haino was born in Chiba Prefecture in 1952.
In the 1960s, rock music was rapidly spreading in Japan. Many young people began to be exposed to music culture through overseas rock and blues.
Haino was one of them.
A particularly strong influence was the expressive power of blues and rock.
At that time, Japanese music culture was still centered around popular songs. However, among young people, foreign rock was spreading as a new sense of values.
Haino’s musical experiences during this period changed his sensibilities greatly.
Music is not just entertainment; I came to see music as something that can express human emotions to the utmost.
He also started playing in a band in his late teens.
However, he was never satisfied with existing rock forms.
You should be able to play music more freely.
This idea later led to his interest in improvisation.
Keiji Haino’s early rock experiences became the starting point for his approach to music as a form of spiritual expression.
Formation of the Japanese Underground in the 1970s
The era of improvisation and noise
In the 1970s, major changes were occurring in the Japanese music scene.
Underground music was beginning to form in a place separate from commercial music.
Improvisation, avant-garde, free jazz, noise. These elements mixed together to create a unique scene.
Keiji Haino will be one of the central figures.
Activities at Lost Araf
Early 1970s band experience
Lost Araf was a band that Keiji Haino was a part of in the early 1970s, before he formed Fushitsusha. This group was one of the early Japanese underground rock bands, and their music was influenced by psychedelic rock and blues.
At the time, rock band culture was still in its infancy in Japan, and an underground scene of its own, distinct from commercial music, was gradually forming. Lost Araf was one of the groups active in this trend, and was an important early musical experience for Keiji Haino.
His experiences during this period led to his later improvisational performances and noise-oriented music.
rock energy blues emotional expression psychedelic acoustics
It is believed that these mixed experiences formed the basis of Haino’s later musical philosophy.
Activities with Lost Alaf were one of the starting points for Keiji Haino’s musical life.
Relationship with Toru Takemitsu
Connection with contemporary Japanese music
Keiji Haino’s music is often talked about in the context of rock and noise, but it also has connections with contemporary Japanese music.
The relationship with the activities of composer Toru Takemitsu is a symbolic example of this.
Toru Takemitsu is one of Japan’s leading contemporary music composers, known for his works that emphasize the spatiality of sound and silence. His musical philosophy was unique, combining Western classical and Japanese sensibilities.
Keiji Haino is said to have had a strong interest in Toru Takemitsu’s musical philosophy, and a common sensibility can be seen in the way they handle the margins of sound and space.
Even in a roaring noise performance, there is always silence. The emphasis on the relationship between sound and silence is similar to contemporary Japanese music.
Additionally, in Haino’s quiet solo pieces and sustained drone pieces, his emphasis on acoustic space is evident.
This is not just an extension of rock, but is close to a modern musical idea that treats the sound itself as a material.
Keiji Haino’s music lies at the intersection of rock, improvisational music, and contemporary Japanese music.
Music group called Fushisha
Symbol of Japanese experimental rock
Fushitsusha is a music group led by Keiji Haino.
There were no fixed members, and the participants often changed from performance to performance.
Characteristics include overwhelming volume and long improvisational performances.
Guitar feedback, drum repetition, And Haino’s singing voice.
It sounded more like a prayer or a spell than a song.
It is sometimes referred to by overseas music critics as an extreme form of psychedelic rock.
However, the essence of Fushisha is not a form of rock.
It is the energy of the sound itself.
Even the same song is played completely differently every time. This is because improvisation is the main focus.
This style had a great influence on later experimental musicians.
Fushisha became a symbol of Japanese improvisational rock, and became known in the experimental music scene around the world.
It is said that the live performance was more like an experience than music.
The audience was engulfed in sound, with performances sometimes lasting several hours.
From around this time, Haino’s music began to become something that could not be explained by genre.
rock energy free jazz freedom Japanese spirituality
The music was a mixture of those things.
The underground scene of the 1970s was a time when Keiji Haino’s music really began to take shape.
Chronology of Fushitsusha’s activities
History of Fushitsusha
Fushitsusha is Keiji Haino’s representative band formed around 1978, and is a symbol of Japanese underground rock.
| Year | Events |
|---|---|
| 1979 | Fushisha Formation |
| 1980s | Active in Tokyo Underground |
| 1989 | European and American tour begins |
| 1991 | Increased international reputation |
| 2000s | European festival appearances |
| 2010s | Irregular activities |
The members are not fixed but fluid, and the organization changes from time to time.
Live performances often involve long improvisational performances, and are characterized by a unique acoustic experience that mixes the roar of the guitar with silence.
Fushitsusha is more of a place to embody Keiji Haino’s musical philosophy than a band.
A quiet acoustic world that appears in solo works
Ambient sound and gentle singing voice
Keiji Haino’s music is often told through roaring guitars and intense improvisation. However, there is another important aspect to his work. It is a quiet acoustic world.
His solo percussion piece ““Everything’’ is a typical example.
Although this piece uses drums and percussion, the emphasis is on the resonance and lingering sound rather than the rhythm.
The reverberation that spreads after the impact sound. Sound vibrations swaying in space. A quiet passage of time.
Although the performance is extremely minimal, the sound has a strong presence. The sound of percussion slowly fills the space.
In addition, the work ““Koko’’, which is known as a not-for-sale CD, unfolds an even quieter acoustic world.
Sustained sounds and environmental sounds overlap to create an ambient space.
However, there are elements that are different from just ambient music. It is Haino’s singing voice.
His voice sometimes comes across as a strong scream, but in quieter pieces it’s surprisingly soft.
A singing voice tinged with kindness. The sound of a voice that touches the soul directly.
The voice conveys more emotion than melody.
It quietly penetrates inside the listener and evokes deep sensations.
Keiji Haino’s solo works show quiet acoustics behind the roaring sound and a singing voice with human kindness.
Another activity called DJ Keiji Haino
Improvisation using CDJs and electronic equipment
In the 2010s, Keiji Haino began to perform in new forms.
His activities are as DJ Keiji Haino.
In this style, they perform while playing music from around the world on CDJs.
The music selected is not limited to any genre.
folk music rock electronic music pops
A mix of various music.
Haino then added a drum machine and synthesizer.
Rhythms and sounds are layered in real time on top of the music being played.
In other words, while it is a DJ set, it is also an improvisational performance.
It’s a style that not only plays existing songs, but also creates new sounds on the spot.
This performance is in a different position from traditional DJ culture and live performances.
Rather than DJing using records, it is more like improvisational music that reconstructs the music itself as material.
DJ Keiji Haino’s performance is a new form of performance that uses music as material to improvise and reconstruct it.
An instrument of exploration: the hurdy-gurdy and the quest for unknown sounds
Instruments with rotating strings and Keiji Haino’s acoustic universe
Among Keiji Haino’s musical instruments, the hurdy-gurdy is particularly noteworthy. This musical instrument, which originated in medieval Europe, generates sound by turning a crank that rotates a wheel that touches the strings, rather than by scratching the strings with a bow. It is a drone instrument made by a ““rotating bow,’’ so to speak, and is characterized by sustained notes and fluctuations in overtones.
Haino does not treat this instrument simply as a folk instrument, but uses it as a device that places the sustained sound itself at the center of the music. A drone slowly spreads through the space, and voices, noise, guitar, and percussion are layered on top of it. Its structure creates a unique sound that cannot be definitively called rock, folk music, or ambient music.
His hurdy-gurdy performances create the feeling that the space itself begins to tremble, rather than the sounds moving as a melody. The sustained sound transforms the sense of time and leads the listener into a state of quiet concentration.
Even though old instruments are used, the sounds that are played there are always in the present.
Keiji Haino Instruments used
Instruments that play a central role in acoustics
Keiji Haino uses many instruments, but the following are particularly important:
| Instrument | Features |
|---|---|
| Electric guitar | Center of noise and drone |
| Acoustic guitar | Performance with singing |
| Hurdy-gurdy | Drone with sustained sound |
| Percussion | Solo performance “Everything” |
| Drum machine | 2010s DJ performance |
| Synthesizer | Improvisational sound |
| Vocal | A singing voice that touches the soul |
The hurdy-gurdy, in particular, is an instrument from medieval Europe, and its ability to create a sustained drone adds depth to Haino’s musical world.
Keiji Haino’s music deals not with the type of instrument but with the very existence of sound.
A journey in search of unknown sounds
Overseas tour and CD hunting
Keiji Haino’s activities are not limited to Japan. He has been invited to many live performances mainly in Europe and America, and has continued to perform in the international music scene for many years.
And there is another habit in his overseas tours. That means buying up CDs and records in the cities you visit.
Stop by a local CD store and search for unknown music. Regardless of genre or nationality, pick up something that catches your ear.
It’s not just a collection. It”s the act of searching for sounds you”ve never heard before, sounds from cultures you don”t know, and music that doesn”t fit into existing classifications.
Haino has always had a strong interest in “unknown sounds.” That attitude hasn’t changed since I was young.
New instruments, new sound sources, new acoustics. By encountering unknown sounds, my music also changes.
Keiji Haino’s activities are driven by exploration, not perfection.
Keiji Haino discography chronology (excerpt)
Flow of solo and major works
Keiji Haino has released a huge amount of recorded works from the late 1970s to the present. The format is diverse, including studio works, live recordings, limited editions, and collaborations, and the total number is said to be in the hundreds.
The following is a flow of important works that are widely known among them.
The information below is compiled from multiple reliable sources (Discogs, Wikipedia, Red Bull Music Academy, Vinyl Factory, etc.).
Keiji Haino important works list
Solo name
| Year | Title | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | **Is it just me? ** | Pinakotheca | Solo debut work. High quality reissue by Black Editions in 2017 |
| 1990 | Nijiumu | PSF | Representative solo vocal/acoustic works |
| 1992 | Itsukushimi / Affection | PSF | Live recording released in 1992 |
| 1993 | A Challenge to Fate | PSF | Released in 1994. Important solo works |
| 1995 | I Said, This Is the Son of Nihilism | Table of the Elements | Important American Release |
| 1995 | Tenshi No Gijinka | Tzadik | Solo piece with only percussion. Has ritualistic overtones |
| 2003 | C”est parfait, le parfum de l”amour… | PSF | Live recording from 2002. A 90-minute masterpiece of voices and rhythm machines |
Fushitsusha name
| Year | Title | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Fushitsusha Double Live (Live I) | PSF | One of the earliest releases on the PSF label. 2-disc live LP |
| 1990 | Live in the First Year of Heisei, Vol.1 & 2 (with Hiroshi Mikami and Motoharu Yoshizawa) | PSF | An improvised masterpiece by the trio with Hiroshi Mikami and Motoharu Yoshizawa |
| 1991 | Fushitsusha (Double Live / Live II) | PSF | One of the important documents of Japanese psychedelic rock in the 1990s |
| 1993 | Allegorical Misunderstanding | Avant (led by John Zorn) | Released on John Zorn’s Avant label |
| 1994 | Pathétique | PSF | Oren Ambarchi describes it as “one of my favorite Fushitsusha works” |
Collaboration/Other name
| Year | Title | Co-stars | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Around 2000 | Aihiyo | Masami Kawaguchi and Ikuro Takahashi | A trio work that devastatingly reinterprets Japanese pop and Western music covers |
| 2012〜 | Nazoranai (not tracing) | Stephen O”Malley, Oren Ambarchi | Apart from O”Rourke and Ambarchi, an improvisational trio with O’Malley and Ambarchi. Released multiple works |
| 2010〜 | Haino / O”Rourke / Ambarchi Series | Jim O”Rourke, Oren Ambarchi | A long-term ongoing project that releases an album almost every year |
These works always show different expressions, crossing elements of rock, drone, improvisation, and folk music.
Keiji Haino’s discography is more a record of his exploration of sound itself than the history of a single musician.
Keiji Haino Music Thought Map
Three-layer structure of noise, drone, and song
Keiji Haino’s music consists of three main elements.
- Noise
- Drone
- Song
These are not independent, but overlap each other to form music.
In Haino’s music, noise and silence, singing and improvisation always exist simultaneously.
The collision and resonance of sounds is Keiji Haino’s musical philosophy.
Keiji Haino Acoustic Universe Map
Music area centered on Keiji Haino
Keiji Haino’s music connects with many genres.
As this diagram shows, Keiji Haino’s activities are not located at the center of a genre, but at the intersection of multiple fields.
Keiji Haino’s music is not a genre, but an intersection.
Keiji Haino × Japanese Underground Music History Chronology
Intersection with Japanese experimental music
Since the 1970s, a unique underground music scene has formed in Japan that intersects rock, improvisational music, noise, avant-garde music, and more. Keiji Haino has been active as one of the central figures.
| Era | Japanese underground music history | Keiji Haino’s movements |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | Expansion of free jazz and improvisational music | Start of musical activities |
| 1978 | Tokyo underground scene expands | Fushisha formed |
| 1980s | Noise music appears | Fushisha live activities |
| 1990s | Rising overseas ratings | European and American tours |
| 2000s | Expansion of improvisation and drones | Many collaborations |
| 2010s | Noise and electronic music fusion | DJ Keiji Haino |
| 2020s | Re-evaluation of experimental music | Ongoing activities |
Keiji Haino’s activities are proceeding almost in parallel with the history of underground music in Japan.
When talking about the history of Japanese underground music, Keiji Haino is always at the center of it.
Tokyo Noise Scene Relationship Diagram
Noise Music Network
Since the 1980s, Tokyo has become one of the world’s hubs for noise music. Many musicians influenced each other and formed their own unique scene.
The Tokyo noise scene has influenced experimental musicians around the world since the 1980s.
Tokyo’s underground music is local and international at the same time.
Keiji Haino collaboration map
International collaboration
Keiji Haino has performed with many musicians. It is characterized by collaborations that transcend genres such as rock, jazz, improvisational music, and noise.
These collaborations demonstrate that Keiji Haino’s music transcends genres.
Keiji Haino’s music always expands through dialogue with others.
Keiji Haino live structure diagram
Structure of improvisation
Keiji Haino’s live performances are not detailed pre-structured performances, but develop improvisationally depending on the space and acoustics of the venue.
Live performances start with silence, then drones and noises gradually build up, and the sound reaches its peak with the addition of singing and shouting. It often has a structure that returns to silence again.
This cycle creates a feeling similar to a religious ritual or meditative experience.
Keiji Haino’s live performance is more an experience of time and space than music.
Overseas evaluation
International recognition
Keiji Haino has been highly praised by Western music media for many years.
| Media | Rating |
|---|---|
| The Wire | Important figures in Japanese avant-garde music |
| Pitchfork | Icon of experimental music |
| The Quietus | A musician who fuses noise and spirituality |
He has appeared at many festivals in Europe and North America, and is considered to be a strong influence in the free improvisation and noise scenes.
Keiji Haino occupies a unique position not only in Japan but also in the world’s experimental music history.
Keiji Haino × World experimental music scene correlation chart
Connection with the world’s avant-garde music
Keiji Haino’s activities are not limited to underground music in Japan, but are deeply connected to the experimental music scene around the world. They have built a unique position while intersecting with diverse musical fields such as free jazz, noise, drone, improvisational music, and psychedelic rock.
Since the 1960s, avant-garde music and improvisational music have spread in Europe and America, and there has been a continued movement to expand the very concept of music. Keiji Haino began his career in the late 1970s, and paralleling this trend, he has been presenting a unique form of musical expression from Japan.
As this diagram shows, Keiji Haino’s music does not belong to a single genre. Rather, it is located at the intersection of avant-garde music flows from around the world.
The intensity of the noise, the persistence of the drone, the freedom of musical improvisation, and the singing voice that resonates with the soul. Music that exists simultaneously has a unique presence even among the world’s experimental music.
Keiji Haino is a musician who stands not within a genre, but at the intersection of avant-garde music from around the world.
A presence that erases the boundaries of music
Keiji Haino, neither rock nor avant-garde
Keiji Haino is often introduced as a ““Japanese noise musician” or ““avant-garde musician.” However, none of these are completely applicable.
rock energy freedom of musical improvisation drone persistence the sound of ethnic instruments And a singing voice emanating from the depths of the soul
Haino’s music is where all of these things exist at the same time.
Between the roar of the guitar and the silence. playing and singing. There, the word genre loses its meaning.
It is no exaggeration to say that the very existence of Keiji Haino has become a genre of music.
His music is not to be categorized, but to be experienced.
Keiji Haino Chronology
Main flow of activities
| Years | Events |
|---|---|
| 1952 | Born in Chiba Prefecture |
| 1960s | Influenced by rock and blues |
| 1970s | Started improvisational music activities |
| Around 1978 | Fushitsusha’s activities are in full swing |
| 1980s | Increased collaboration with overseas artists |
| 1990s | Increased international reputation |
| 2000s | Participated in numerous improvisational projects |
| 2010s | Live activities as DJ Keiji Haino |
| 2020s | Continuing live activities around the world |
| 2026 | Biennale Music Festival 2026 Winner |
For more than half a century, Keiji Haino has been active at the forefront of experimental music.
Biennale Music Festival 2026 Award Winner
Golden Lion Award (Lifetime Achievement Award)
At the 2026 Venice Biennale Music Festival, Keiji Haino will receive the Golden Lion Award (Leone d”Oro alla carriera), which is a lifetime achievement award.
This award is given to artists who have continued innovative activities in the field of music for many years, and Keiji Haino was introduced as the ““poet of noise’’ (poeta del rumore).
During his more than 50 years of activities, he has created a unique musical world that defies existing genres, crossing over diverse fields such as improvisation, noise, drone, rock, blues, and free jazz.
Its activities have expanded through collaboration with musicians and artists from all over the world, and it has become an important presence in the contemporary experimental music scene.
Keiji Haino will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Venice Biennale Music Festival.
The miracle of Keiji Haino
Expression beyond music
Keiji Haino’s music transcends genre boundaries.
It”s rock, it”s noise, it’s improvisation. But it doesn’t quite belong to any of them.
What is important is that music is treated as a spiritual expression.
A performance is not just a performance. It is also an act of exploring the relationship between sound and humans.
Roaring guitar improvisation. Quiet ambient sound. A singing voice that touches the soul. And the reconstruction of music through DJ sets.
All of this is part of Keiji Haino’s expression.
In the history of Japanese underground music, there are not many people who have continued to explore music in such a variety of ways.
In the history of music, there are people who create genres and people who destroy genres.
Keiji Haino belongs to the latter category.
By continuing to go beyond existing boundaries, they have shown the possibilities of new music.
Keiji Haino is remembered as a musician who continues to transcend boundaries in the history of Japanese experimental music.
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