INFORMATION ABOUT THE KOTO
size
and form of the koto
The koto is
a Japanese traditional musical instrument. It is a large, wooden
instrument with 13 strings. It's around 160 centimeters to 200
centimeters long and 20 centimeters across. It has a curved face,
and the pitch is adjusted with movable bridges placed under each
strings. It's played with picks worn on the fingers. The left
hand presses down on the strings to bend notes and create other
effects.
history
of the koto
It is an ancient
stringed instrument with roots in China and Japan that extend
back over 1,000 years. At the beginning, the elegant sound of
the koto has long been used to represent nature's reverbertions:
the flow of water, the soft sound of wind, and the chirping of
birds and insects.
koto today
The koto is the most
familiar and popular instrument. During the New Year holidays
'Haru no umi' a duet with shakuhachi, is commonly piped in as
background music (BGM), and during the cherry blossom season,
one often hears renditions of the popular tune 'Sakura sakura'
performed on the koto.