About Koto

History

Possessing a long and storied pedigree, the koto was first introduced to Japan during the 7th and 8th century from China. When the koto was first imported to Japan, it was used only by the Japanese court music called “gagaku” (雅楽). The koto used in gagaku is called “gakuso” (楽箏). Over time, it came to be used not only as an ensemble instrument but also as an accompaniment instrument for the singer.

Around the 16th century, the monk “Kenjun” (賢順) of Kyushu created “Tsukushiryu sokyoku” (筑紫流箏曲), the Tsukushi school of koto music.

Undeterred by his blindness, “Yatsuhashi Kengyo” (八橋検校) (who studied this Tsukushi style koto in the 17th century) would go on to create the koto methodology, which became the basis of what now comprises present-day koto music. At that time, the hemitonic pentatonic scale referred to as the “miyakobushi onkai” (都節音階) was prevalent among the common people and was already adopted in shamisen music. As one of the reforms, Yatsuhashi Kengyo created a new tuning called “hirajōshi” (平調子). Since Yatsuhashi Kengyo was originally a master of the “jiuta shamisen” (地歌三味線), he used this pentatonic scale to derive the hirajōshi scale, which remarkably is still used today as the formative tuning for the koto instrument.

During this period, a guild for blind men called “tōdō” (当道) was prevalent. Given Yatsuhashi Kengyo’s stature as one of the esteemed members of this hierarchically structured organization, the word “kengyo” (検校) hence became referred to as the highest-ranking member of the tōdō. This tōdō, in turn, received protection from the shogunate and, moreover, was granted various exclusive rights as professional music performers. Consequently, the koto was initially (a proprietary patent) performed solely by the blind artist guild, and as such barred ordinary civilians from becoming professional koto performers. As the blind musicians of tōdō started teaching koto to civilians, the instrument’s infectious beauty gradually spread among the general public.

It should be noted that there are two historically significant koto schools that developed in Japan: the “Ikuta-ryu” (生田流) / Ikuta school and the “Yamada-ryu” (山田流) / Yamada school. A member of the tōdō named “Ikuta Kengyo” (生田検校) founded the Ikuta-ryu / Ikuta school based in the Kansai region (ie. Osaka, Kyoto). Ikuta Kengyo made a historic contribution by combining the koto with juita shamisen, which was previously only deemed a solo instrument to accompany one’s singing. In order for the koto to accompany the shamisen, it was only inevitable that new techniques and tone production for the instrument would further develop during this period.

Yamada-ryu / Yamada school was started by “Yamada Kengyo” (山田検校) in Edo (current day Tokyo) during the 18th century. Yamada’s school incorporated the music of “joruri” (浄瑠璃), a type of sung narrative or storytelling accompanied by a shamisen. Influenced by the joruri music, Yamada Kengyo embarked upon composing koto music which was focused on singing.

As the “Edo Bakufu” (江戸幕府) era subsided during the 19th century, the tōdō guild found itself abolished, which, in turn, further opened the floodgates for ordinary citizens to pursue professional koto careers. With the dawn of the Meiji era, western music was slowly introduced to Japan during this time.

Amongst the handful of great modern koto performers and composers of the 20th century is “Michio Miyagi” (宮城道雄), who composed a vast instrumental repertoire for the koto. As previously stated, koto music prior to this time frequently accompanied singing. Yet Michio Miyagi, himself a prolific composer, found ways to remarkably incorporate Western music into the classic koto repertoire. As such, he was the first modern composer to create koto concertos while reforming the musical instrument by inventing the 17-string koto / bass koto, whose distinction is highlighted by the fact that it is tuned to a diatonic scale. As a result, today the koto can not only be heard as a solo instrument but can also be performed as an ensemble featuring numerous koto players. Through the 21st century and beyond, the koto continues its traditional music heritage with singing, while also functioning as a versatile instrument capable of enhancing rock, jazz, and pops genres.