Yoko Kanno and Acid Mothers Temple are my two favorites from Japan right now. The latter especially kicks-ass (because modern day psychedelic rock is the ****!!)

Ruins and Acid Mothers Temple of course kicks ass.

I would highly recommend DJ Krush as a phenomenal turntablist and one of most well-known persona of Japanese hip-hop and trip-hop. But I would appreciate any more Japanese hip-hop recommendations, especially instrumental bands.

Post-rockers Mono are also highly enjoyable and noise rockers Boris as well.

B.O.A. is Korean, no?

she is one my favourite jp pop singer

BOA is Korean, that's true.
she can speak Japanese and had released some singles in Japanese, though.
I think it's alright to talk about BOA in this Thread. :love:

if i understand the way you mean the word, i don't have any that i listen to over and over. i'm an old school headbanger, and although there are many awesome japanese guitarists who really shred, they seem to be a little lacking in the song writing unless you like super dramatic, cartoony stuff.
i will give japan big props for one thing though. there are alot of girls who are rockin out, and that's as cool as cool gets.
these days, the best metal comes from sweden. think Drain STH (defunct)
and Mustasch.

...You're an old school headbanger? o.O

meaning that i was rockin out before most people on this forum were even born. i like older metal because of it. alot of the stuff i see coming from japan isn't what i go for is all. fine for some people, if they like it, power to 'em. it's just not for me. i like my metal without cosplay. lol

Koto, shakuhachi, or right up to Acid Mothers or BORIS (prominently featured in the LIMITS OF CONTROL soundtrack) or OOIOO or Boredoms, Flower Travellin Band (dunno about the reunion but their older stuff is great, especially "Satori" ...) Speed Glue & Shinki, Les Rallizes Denudes... lotsa wild stuff out of Japan