This presentation discusses the origin and significance of gagaku, a Japanese traditional culture encompassing music and dance, and the challenges it faces in digital archiving and accessibility. The paper aims to encode gagaku scores in machine-readable form using the Music Encoding Initiative, focusing on the unique challenges posed by the vertical notation and the presence of “shōga.” The study will initially concentrate on tōgaku, a subset of gagaku with a rhythmic structure. Additionally, the paper explores the potential for leveraging computer science and digital humanities in Japanese music research.