The Japanese word rizumu-kan is a common word that somewhat refers to an ability to perceive and recognize rhythm. It could also mean an ability to move rhythmically involving cognition. Although the word is widely used in scientific discourses, it has not been given a straightforward definition. This paper aimed to discuss what the word rizumu-kan encompasses for human cognition and behavior, especially for artistic physical expression in the field of cognitive science. First, we showed that the ambiguity of rizumu-kan comes from the fact that rhythm is ubiquitous on various spatiotemporal scales and that the definition of rhythm varies from one discipline to another. Second, we reviewed and classified scientific studies on rizumu-kan. Finally, to further understand rizumu-kan for artistic physical expression in cognitive science, we propose the following: (1) to put these studies in a broader context where the behavior is situated, and (2) to develop a mixed research method within the framework of ecological psychology while giving some caveats that should be considered in planning and designing such studies.
