Merzbow (メルツバウ) is an extreme experimental music project created in Tokyo in 1979 under the direction of musician Masami Akita (秋田昌美) and is recognized as being one of the earliest projects in what has become known as Japanese noise. Highly prolific, Merzbow has released hundreds of recordings since 1979.

The name is derived from Kurt Schwitters’s Merzbau, and is meant to be pronounced the same way.

Originally Merzbow was formed in 1979 as a duo of Masami Akita and Kiyoshi Mizutani.
In 1989 Kiyoshi Mizutani left and Merzbow became a solo project of Masami Akita.
Since 1991 Merzbow became a trio of Masami Akita with Reiko Azuma (electronics and voice) and Tetsuo Sakaibara (aka Bara) (voice and dance).
Since 1999 Merzbow became a solo project of Masami Akita again.