This book offers a comprehensive introduction to Creative Music Making (CMM) as it has developed across Japan and East Asia. It begins with the simplest musical structures that support improvisation and composition, including repetition, call and response, and drone‑based creation. These ideas form the foundation for understanding how musical structures are shared across global cultures and how they can be arranged pedagogically to support creative work in the classroom.

The volume traces the history of Creative Music Making in Japan, from early sound‑exploration practices to the emergence of Pattern Music, and examines how these approaches were incorporated into national curriculum guidelines. Contributors include experienced musician educators who have developed creative music activities for teachers and students across a wide range of settings. Their chapters introduce the Teacher Advisor Supporter (TAS) model and provide practical lesson examples, classroom case studies, and reflective commentary on how creative musical expression can be facilitated effectively.

Covering topics such as Gagaku education, world‑music‑based composition, pentatonic improvisation supported by digital tools, and philosophical perspectives on creativity, the book presents a uniquely Asian view of how musical creativity is taught and understood. It highlights the development of musicality and polymusicality through collaborative, culturally responsive practices. This collection is an essential resource for researchers in music pedagogy, creativity studies, and arts education, as well as for primary and secondary music teachers seeking practical and culturally grounded approaches to creative music making.

Mayumi Oie is a Professor at Tokyo Woman’s Christian University, specializing in educational psychology, creativity, and learning motivation. She serves as a Board Member of Reischauer Gakuen School for the Deaf (since 2025). She is also an Editorial Board member of the International Journal of Creativity in Music Education and an international board editor for Springer's Creativity in the Twenty First Century book series.

Yukiko Tsubonou is Professor Emeritus at Japan Women’s University, Guest Fellow at the Arts Center at The University of Tokyo, and the President of the Institute of Creativity in Music Education. Her work has encompassed a variety of workshops and concerts on creative music for children, teachers, the elderly, and professional musicians. She served as the President of the Japanese Music Education Society from 2005 to 2008 and was also a member of the Committee of Art Education of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology in Japan (MEXT) from 2005 to 2007.