Expressing Japanese Aesthetics Through Piano — Music for AGF “Sen”

I composed a solo piano piece for AGF’s premium product line “Sen.”
The commission came through the design office of Kenya Hara.

The shared concept for this project was to express refined and sophisticated Japanese beauty while using the piano — a Western instrument.
Rather than relying on traditional Japanese instruments, the focus was on whether Japanese aesthetics could emerge through restraint, space, and silence, even within Western musical language.

Japanese beauty is not defined solely by the instruments used.
We believe that qualities such as ma (interval), subtlety, and quiet tension can be fully articulated through piano or strings, when the musical structure itself is carefully designed.

Minimal Structure, Maximum Presence

The piece is written for solo piano only.
Notes and structure were reduced to the bare minimum, allowing resonance, silence, and the flow of time itself to remain as the primary impression.

The aim was to translate the character of “Sen” — a product that stands firmly on its own while remaining close to everyday life — into sound.

Rather than drawing attention to itself, the music creates a calm but focused presence, mirroring the product’s quiet strength.

Beyond Instrument Categories

At Drifter, we do not divide expression into “Japanese instruments” and “Western instruments.”
What matters is whether a musical structure can carry Japanese aesthetics — regardless of the tools used.

This project represents our approach to expressing Japanese sensibility through the piano, using restraint, space, and time as core musical elements.