Koto (instrument) - Wikipedia
The koto (箏 or 琴) is a Japanese plucked half-tube zither instrument, and the national instrument of Japan. It is derived from the Chinese zheng and se , and similar to the Mongolian yatga , the Korean gayageum and ajaeng , the Vietnamese đàn tranh , the Sundanese kacapi and the Kazakh jetigen . [ 1 ]
What is the Koto | Virtual Culture - Kids Web Japan
The Parts of the Koto. The names for the parts of the koto were decided by likening the instrument to a dragon stretched out along the ground. Some of the parts' names are written with Chinese characters meaning "dragon's back" and "dragon's tail."
About Koto - Japanese Traditional Music
Moreover, since the instrument itself is made in the image of the dragon and embodies much of the sacredness of this creature, the parts of a koto are thus called “ryūtō / ryūzu” (竜頭) / dragon-head, “ryūbi” (竜尾) / dragon-tail, and “ryūzetsu” (竜舌) / dragon-tongue, etc.
KOTO | Traditional Music Degital Library - senzoku-online.jp
The koto is played with tsume, small plectra or picks, attached to three fingers on the right hand. In gagaku, traditional Japanese court music, the koto was played as part of an ensemble, after that, as an accompaniment for temple ballads, and actively came to be performed solo during the Edo period (1603-1868).
What is a Koto Musical Instrument? Exploring the Ethereal Sound …
Mar 1, 2024 · In this in-depth guide, we’ll review what the koto musical instrument is by examining what it sounds like, how it’s played, its long history, how its made, and also explore some of the great tunes and compositions it has produced over its long and varied musical history.
Koto: The Soulful Sounds of Japan’s Ancient Zither
Nov 5, 2024 · The Koto is a traditional Japanese stringed instrument made from Paulownia wood. The instrument consists of thirteen strings stretched over movable bridges called ji. The player uses Tsume, picks worn on the right-hand fingers, to pluck the strings. The left hand is used to press down on the strings to alter the pitch or create vibrato ...
Koto | Japanese, 13-string, zither | Britannica
koto, long Japanese board zither having 13 silk strings and movable bridges. The body of the instrument is made of paulownia wood and is about 190 cm (74 inches) long.
KOTO | The dragon instrument that plucks mystical tunes
The koto is a musical instrument originally brought over from ancient China and continued to evolve in Japanese culture. 13 strings are placed over a movable “pillar” to regulate pitch. The koto was originally invented in the shape of a dragon, which, at the time was worshiped as a …
Instruments - Koto Sounds / 箏色
We still use the name dragon body parts, such as dragon head and dragon tail, as the names of koto parts. Kengyo Yatsuhashi/八橋検校 (1614-1685) established the base of today’s koto piece, and Michio Miyagi/宮城道雄 (1894-1956) developed new style introducing some Western music.
The Koto | Virtual Culture - Kids Web Japan
Learn about traditional Japanese musical instruments such as the koto, shamisen, and shakuhachi, the parts of the koto and the implements used for playing it.