Cultural Snapshots

The Koto: An Ancient Japanese Musical Instrument

Culture

The koto is a sophisticated stringed instrument that has been played in Japan for over a thousand years.
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Played for Over a Millennium

A koto is a traditional Japanese 13-stringed instrument similar to a zither, with movable bridges for tuning. Players wear three picks known as tsume on their thumb and first two fingers to pluck the strings. The koto is made from paulownia wood and has been played in Japan for more than a millennium.

Miyagi Michio (1894–1956) was a composer who revived the popularity of the koto in the twentieth century, including through his work “Haru no umi” (Spring Sea), a duet for the koto and shakuhachi flute, which is commonly heard during the New Year period in Japan. He also invented a 17-string koto, sometimes known as the bass koto.

(Originally written in English. Banner image © Pixta.)

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