Sounds of Japan

For those times when one can't get out of the city, or for one of those long, humid, rainy season nights when sleep is impossible without the AC running full blast, you might try Andrew Roth's Sounds of Japan available here. ¥1500 at Apple Store at around $15 for over an hour of listening at amazon.com. Unfortunately, I could not find it at amazon.jp yet.

Although Apple lists it as "new wave" it ain't what I'd call new wave---is nature new wave? It consists of nature sounds you can here in the outdoors in Japan. Well, let's say in the outdoors in certain less developed areas. There is not "soothing music" with a few nature sounds in the background like you often find on some nature recordings. (Generally, one does not hear pianos in the woods...) Instead you can hear birds, wind, thunder, insects, water, creaking sea ice and so on with an occasional "tonal interlude" which although not entirely natural, fits right in with the rest of the recording. You can hear a sample on his site above.

It was well worth the money for me. It isn't the same as being there, but sometimes it and a little imagination (and memories) has to do.

A few examples of the locations and sounds
Nagano: Alpine Summer
Kushiro: Cranes and Deer
Anami Oshima: Tropical Dusk
Jigoku: The Hells

And no, I don't have any monetary interest in this, I just enjoy it and like-minded folks just might too.