What is a Carillon?
A romantic bell instrument originating from 16th century Flanders
A carillon is a bell instrument known as a "singing tower" that originated in the Flanders region of what is now the Netherlands and Belgium. More than 23 bronze bells are installed on top of buildings such as bell towers and church towers, and are played through a baton-type musical stand. A typical carillon consists of 47 to 49 bells over four octaves, with those with three octaves called light carillons and those with five octaves or more called grand carillons.
There are four carillons in Japan, and more than 700 around the world.
The Belgian carillon safeguard activity was registered as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in 2014, and the Dutch carillon culture, including carillon performance, is designated as a national intangible cultural heritage. The carillon that exists in Japan was brought to Japan as part of the carillon safeguard activity around 1990. Participating in learning to play the carillon, arranging and composing music, in other words, contributes to the inheritance of the carillon culture.