[Fungi]

Yoshiko Sai
Midori (punk band, not the violinist)
Geinoh Yamashirogumi
Ghost
Keiji Haino
C.C.C.C.
Hanatarash
Happy Family
(if you haven't noticed, a lot of these are on Julian Cope's Japrocksampler)

 

[krisjan]

susumu yokota (he does a lot of styles, but this is more exp.: the boy and the tree)
otomo yoshihide (very exp. - try anode and cathode)
tetsu inoue (don't know if he's japanese, but anyway)
chihei hatakeyama (chinese - minima moralia is a nice album)

 

[milkweg]

Ryuichi Sakamoto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://www.jackorjive.com/

 

[meme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krisjan /img/forum/go_quote.gif otomo yoshihide (very exp. - try anode and cathode)

Yes! I could also suggest work by the rest of the "Tokyo Crew" as well - Toshimaru Nakamura, Sachiko M, Ami Yoshida, Taku Sugimoto - they are part of a larger scene known by some people as EAI (Electro-Acoustic Improvisation), they have over the years produced some fascinating music.

 

[meme]

X2 for Keiji Haino, esp his work with Fushi-tsusha (remove the hyphen!) - I don't know what is currently in print at the moment, he has in various bands, collaborations and on his own produced a heck of a lot of material, a lot of it is great but unfortunately some of it, especially in the last few years, has been either very self indulgent or just complete dreck, so tread carefully! Also along similar lines - Kousokuya and Suishou no Fune.

I love the dreamy music of Sawako Kato, although I prefer her earlier "rougher" music she put out on CD-R, her releases on 12k are still very nice!

 

[meme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fungi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yoshiko Sai Midori (punk band, not the violinist) Geinoh Yamashirogumi Ghost Keiji Haino C.C.C.C. Hanatarash Happy Family (if you haven't noticed, a lot of these are on Julian Cope's Japrocksampler)

Some great stuff there, but how did he get away with that title?

 

[Faust2D]

As far from mainstream as you can get

Ruins

Korekyojin

Melt-Banana

Zeni Geva

Boredoms

Nobukazu Takemura

OOIOO

Ground Zero

 

[tescosamoa]

Boris. Boredoms

 

[blue_lammer]

I have to recommend listening to some Utada Hikaru. She was unexpectedly suggested by a friend who would been the last person on my mind to ever listen to J-Pop (He loves it). Surprisingly good. Ultra Blue and Deep River are both really good.

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue_lammer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have to recommend listening to some Utada Hikaru. She was unexpectedly suggested by a friend who would been the last person on my mind to ever listen to J-Pop (He loves it). Surprisingly good. Ultra Blue and Deep River are both really good.

Unfortunately, she's considered mainstream, annoying, because she became famous for songs unusual in having a mix of Japanese and English in them. She is also atypical of the stupid bimbos that dominate Japanese pop (Koda Kumi I'm looking at you). Her one American-released English album, Exodus, is rather weird, though maybe not as off-the-wall as many of the other bands mentioned here.

 

[vegaman]

Miami - sort of experimental electronica stuff... I'm terrible at putting things in genres
Cornelius - electronica
Teriyaki Boyz - hip-hop

Miami is probably my favourite of those three, and the least mainstream

I'll second Melt-Banana too, love them.

 

[funkychowda]

Asian Kung Fu Generation

 

[roebeet]

What about Straightener? They are definitely not J-pop, but might be considered mainstream over there. Also, I like The High-Lows.

 

[KdF]

Baroque - Sug Life

 

[leveller1642]

Quote:

Noriko Tujiko

 
Thread bump for my latest obsession. 
 
I have her down as Tujiko Noriko. I have been utterly enchanted by her 2006 Shojo Toshi album. I also found Buffalo Daughters' sophomore album New Rock recently which i also really like. I bought their debut album, Captain Vapour Athletes, today as well. I'd describe both of these as electronica.
 
Does Yoko Ono count? I know many here regard her with distaste, but i didn't mind her 1971 album Fly, when i listened to it once a while back after buying it new for a $1. 
 
I have a couple of Cornelius albums floating around which I'll have to have another listen too. I think i may have found them a little challenging. 
 
Any other suggestions?