The World of the Koto Instrument: An Invitation to Sophisticated Traditional Music Weaving Japanese Aesthetics

The koto is a traditional Japanese stringed instrument—a thirteen-stringed zither—that has captured hearts for generations with its graceful tones. Each delicate note, resonating in the stillness between sounds, embodies the Japanese concept of ma (the valued space between notes) and reflects a deep aesthetic sensibility.

Hearing the koto for the first time, you may find its sound mysterious and elegant. Unlike the dazzling showiness of European classical music or the lively beat of American pop, koto performances are often serene and spacious. In fact, koto compositions cherish the pauses and lingering resonance between notes, creating a profound stillness. If you listen closely, you’ll feel how this gentle music can connect hearts across different cultures.

History of the Koto Instrument — A Tradition Passed from the Heian Era to Today

The koto instrument arrived in Japan from China around the 7th–8th century (Nara period). Initially known as the sō (箏) in gagaku (the imperial court music), it was performed at state ceremonies. According to legend, when the Taihō Code of 701 established the Imperial Music Bureau, the sō—together with flutes, biwas, and other instruments—was given an important official role（＊1）. This Chinese introduction of the koto brought a fresh breeze to court music. By the Heian era, gagaku had spread throughout the aristocracy and was enjoyed not only at official ceremonies but also at cultural gatherings.

For example, at traditional court entertainments (gyōyū), nobles often heard ensembles featuring the shakuhachi, hichiriki, biwa, and koto, and they fell in love with the koto’s elegant sound.

Over the centuries, the koto’s appeal spread beyond the court. By the Edo period, blind musician communities (often called kengyō) had systematically preserved and taught the koto tradition. These master musicians, who relied on their keen hearing to refine the music, became revered cultural keepers in Japan even if largely unknown abroad. In the 17th century, the blind master Yatsuhashi Kengyō introduced new melodies and tunings for the general public. Known as the “Father of Modern Koto,” he composed innovative pieces and expanded the koto repertoire, bringing the instrument to everyone from commoners to samurai.

The Koto Nurtured in Gagaku and Court Culture

In the context of gagaku ensemble music, the koto was especially refined by the imperial court’s cultural demands. For Heian-era nobles, playing the koto was a mark of education and elegance, and many classic Japanese tales include the instrument. For instance, in The Tale of Genji there is a banquet scene where four court ladies perform together on biwa, wagoto (a type of koto), the sō, and the koto（＊2）.

The refined music added an elegant note to the feast, much like how Western courts might open a banquet with music, but with a uniquely Japanese subtlety. Later in Genji, Lady Akashi plays the koto as a farewell, using its melody to express her love and sorrow（＊3）. These scenes show how koto music can convey emotion deeper than words. In this way, the koto became a symbol of cultural sophistication for the nobles of the era.

The Koto’s Spirituality Expressed in Wabi-Sabi

The sound of the koto embodies the spirit of wabi-sabi, the Japanese aesthetic ideal that finds deep beauty in imperfection and transience. Unlike Western ideals of seamless symmetry, wabi-sabi values simplicity and the spaces in between.

In koto music, this philosophy is clear: the silences between notes (the ma) and the lingering echoes of each string are as important as the notes themselves. While Western music typically fills in spaces with continuous melody, a koto piece often includes intentional gaps so that its natural resonance can ring out. Even in more energetic compositions, it’s the quiet pauses between notes that create a subtle, profound beauty—a living manifestation of wabi-sabi in sound.

Experience Japanese Aesthetics through the Koto – A Journey in Architecture and Literature

The resonant sound of the koto also reflects Japan’s traditional architecture and literature, creating a uniquely Japanese mood. Imagine hearing koto music in a historic space – suddenly a sense of yamato-gokoro (the Japanese spirit) and tranquil beauty emerges. Picture yourself sitting in a quiet tatami room or a sukiya-style tea house, listening to a koto performance. The experience feels entirely different from a Western concert hall: it is intimate, delicate, and deeply serene.

For example, sitting by a dry rock garden (karesansui) in Kyoto while hearing the koto can make you feel connected to nature, as if the music itself is part of the garden’s atmosphere. In this way, the koto invites you to experience Japan’s culture through multiple senses at once.

Koto Aesthetics in Classical Literature: The Tale of Genji and Beyond

In classical Japanese literature, the koto’s presence often signifies elegance and emotion. The Tale of Genji already shows koto at courtly events（＊5） and in scenes of parting（＊4）, illustrating the instrument’s symbolic role in noble life. Similarly, The Tale of the Heike (a 12th-century epic) tells of the koto master Kogō. Favored by Emperor Takakura,

Kogō was exiled and wandered to the Sagano countryside, playing the koto piece Sōfuren to express her longing. Legend says her haunting melody guided a searching imperial envoy to her（＊6）. This story later inspired the famous Yamada-ryū composition “Kogō’s Melody,” blending a touch of sad legend with the koto’s beauty（＊6）. These tales show that, much like a Western ballad, koto music can tell stories of love, loss, and beauty in a uniquely Japanese way.

Unraveling the Koto’s Charm – The Intelligence Hidden in Its Structure and Tone

Behind the koto’s beautiful sound lies ingenious craftsmanship in its structure, materials, and playing techniques. Exploring this traditional artistry can deepen your appreciation of the instrument. The standard koto has 13 strings and is about 190 cm long, with a hollow body carved from paulownia (kiri) wood（＊1）.

Paulownia’s lightness and grain make the sound resonate beautifully, which is key to the koto’s gentle tone. Indeed, koto makers often say that “tone is determined by the material and the carving,” so they select high-quality Aizu paulownia and carefully smooth and shape the body（＊2）.

Originally, the strings were made of silk, but since silk breaks easily, modern kotos typically use durable synthetic fibers for their strings（＊1）. This mirrors how Western string instruments shifted from gut to nylon strings.

Each of the 13 strings rests on an adjustable bridge, allowing the player to change the tuning freely（＊1）. By moving these bridges, a skilled musician can create different scales and moods for a piece. All of this craft – choice of wood, string material, and shape – combines to give the koto its signature tone.

Regional and School-based Styles and Features of Koto Playing

Over time, different regions and schools of playing have developed, each with its own style. Since the Edo period, two main schools have become pillars of koto music: Ikuta-ryū and Yamada-ryū（＊3）. Ikuta-ryū, centered around Kyoto and Osaka, became known for its lively style often accompanying shamisen narrative songs (jiuta). In this style, players sit at a 45-degree angle to the instrument and wear square ivory picks (tsume) on their fingers to pluck the strings（＊4）.

By contrast, Yamada-ryū, which grew out of Edo, incorporated elements of jōruri and Noh chanting that were popular at the time（＊5）. Yamada-ryū koto players face the instrument squarely and use rounded picks, giving their music a more delicate, lyrical tone（＊4）.

Both schools trace back to Yatsuhashi’s tradition, but they differ in lyrics and notation, leading to those subtle stylistic differences you can hear when comparing their performances.

Experiencing the World of Koto Craftsmen – Visiting Master Workshops

The rich tone of the koto is created by the skilled hands of its craftsmen. Visiting a koto workshop lets you witness the transformation of a single plank of wood into a beautiful instrument. For example, in Hiroshima’s Fukuyama City—the country’s leading koto production center—artisans make about 70% of Japan’s kotos（＊6）.

There, the famous “Fukuyama koto” is crafted from the finest paulownia and meticulously finished by master carpenters. These instruments are often celebrated as Japan’s finest koto brand, prized for their rich tone, beautiful wood grain, and ornate lacquered decoration（＊4）. In a way, Fukuyama is to koto making what Cremona is to violins: a place entirely dedicated to refining a traditional craft.

The Four Seasons Depicted by the Koto – Signature Works like Haru no Umi

The koto repertoire includes many famous pieces that paint Japan’s seasons in sound. Perhaps the most famous is “Haru no Umi” (Spring Sea), composed by Michio Miyagi in 1930（＊7）. This koto-and-shakuhachi duet evokes gentle springtime scenes: you can almost hear the soft waves and boats drifting on Miyagi’s imagined Seto Inland Sea. Another classic is “Rokudan no Shirabe” (Music of Six Steps), traditionally attributed to Yatsuhashi Kengyō（＊8）. Rokudan is a foundational koto solo piece (often played by beginners and masters alike) that consists of six repeated sections, each higher in pitch.

Beyond these, countless koto compositions celebrate cherry blossoms in spring, autumn grasses, winter snows, and other elements of nature. In that way, koto music shares the same nature-worship and seasonal awareness found in Japanese waka and haiku poetry, using sound to capture the essence of Japan’s landscape.

Luxury Inns and Hotels Wrapped in the Sound of the Koto

In modern times, even high-end Japanese inns and hotels use the koto’s traditional sound to delight guests. In an authentic Japanese-style space, live koto music brings a sense of extraordinary relaxation and refined elegance. Here are a few examples of places where visitors can experience the koto:

• Kyoto – Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu: Every Wednesday, the hotel hosts an exclusive koto concert and workshop for guests（＊1）. From a lounge overlooking the Yasaka Pagoda, you can enjoy an intimate live performance by an Ikuta-ryū musician. The program is designed to be accessible even to first-time listeners and international visitors, and there’s even a hands-on workshop where guests can try plucking the koto strings themselves.
  
  
• Tochigi – Kinugawa Onsen Asaya Hotel: This long-established ryokan holds a live koto performance in its lobby during the New Year season（＊2）. Musicians play celebratory songs and early-spring pieces on the koto, adding a touch of Japanese spirit to the hot spring experience and cuisine, so that guests can ring in the year in a truly traditional way.
  
  
• Tokyo – Luxury Hotel Lounges: In Tokyo’s high-end hotels like Hotel Gajoen and Aman Tokyo, afternoon tea events often feature duets of koto and shakuhachi. You can relax on a plush sofa amid the city’s bustle, sipping green tea and enjoying wagashi (traditional sweets) while listening to gentle koto melodies. It’s an elegant moment of calm – like enjoying a refined cultural performance in the midst of a modern metropolis.
  
  

In these settings, you can savor Japan’s cultural elegance alongside five-star comfort. Having your stay welcomed by the koto’s sound turns it into a special memory where you truly feel Japan’s tradition.

Japanese Tea Salons & Cafés to Enjoy with Koto Melodies

Koto music also fits beautifully into relaxed Japanese tearooms and cafes. In Kyoto and Tokyo, you can find tea salons often set in renovated old houses, offering live koto or shamisen performances. For example, “Roji-koya” in Tokyo’s Kita-Senju district is a tea salon housed in an 80-year-old traditional home.

During New Year events, they invite a koto musician to play live while guests enjoy tea. The hanging scroll in the tokonoma alcove and the koto’s gentle sound harmonize quietly, giving visitors a moment of refined calm. It’s similar to how a Western café might host live jazz, but here traditional Japanese music blends into the space, creating a uniquely peaceful ambiance.

Enjoying the Koto in Interior – Designing a Japanese-Modern Space

Some enthusiasts even make the koto part of their interior design. An ornately lacquered koto, decorated with maki-e (gold lacquer art) or raden (mother-of-pearl inlay), can double as a beautiful art piece on the wall or in a living room. Others repurpose koto materials: furniture makers have turned old, unused kotos into chairs and tables. Paulownia wood is light and soft with a lovely grain, so using it in furniture brings a subtle traditional flavor to modern interiors.

Recently, craftsmen have even made wooden smartphone speakers from koto wood offcuts – these little “koto wood” speakers use the same gentle resonance of paulownia to enrich sound（＊3）. It’s a creative example of blending tradition with today’s technology.

Koto Music at Eco-Friendly Hotels and Facilities

Even eco-conscious retreats feature the koto’s sound in their programming. In spaces that value harmony with nature, the koto’s tones create a truly healing ambiance. For example, at “Satoyama Vacation” (a glamping site at the base of Mt. Fuji), there’s a program themed on wa (Japanese harmony). At night, guests sit around a bonfire under the starry sky as live koto or shinobue (bamboo flute) music plays in the background.

The natural sounds of the forest and the koto’s melody blend together, bringing a deep sense of calm. Similarly, during the illuminated bamboo forest events in Kyoto’s Arashiyama, live koto performances have been paired with LED light displays – as the koto’s notes echoed through the grove, it created a magical, almost otherworldly atmosphere. Initiatives like these show how traditional culture can be enjoyed in eco-friendly settings, allowing people to appreciate heritage while respecting nature.

Learning the Koto Instrument – Cultural Courses Enjoyable from Beginners to Experts

For those inspired to try the koto themselves, Japan offers many learning opportunities—everything from beginner workshops to expert seminars. Just as a traveler might take a local cooking or art class abroad, you can join koto experience courses during your cultural explorations. Whether it’s a short workshop by a local performer or an in-depth lecture by a musicologist, the journey of learning the koto can be intellectually and emotionally rewarding. Below are some examples of how you can dive into koto education:

Koto Workshops & Lessons Taught by Professional Performers

Even absolute beginners can find workshops designed just for them. In Tokyo, for example, many culture centers and traditional instrument cafes offer beginner koto classes taught by professional performers（＊1）.

In these short lessons, young koto musicians (from Ikuta-ryū or Yamada-ryū schools) guide you through the basics: how to put on the ivory picks (tsume), how to pluck the strings, and even how to play a simple melody like “Sakura Sakura.” In just an hour or two, you’ll get a feel for the koto world. It’s akin to a beginner’s piano or violin class in the West—fun, hands-on, and surprisingly accessible. Many workshops even offer instruction in English. In culturally rich cities like Kyoto or Nara, long-established koto schools also welcome tourists with one-day trial courses. For many beginners, the thrill of hearing the sound you produce on the koto for the first time is a truly moving experience.

Special Seminars Where Experts Discuss Koto Tradition and History

If you’re more interested in the history and cultural background, special seminars by experts are available too. Musicologists and Japanese music scholars often give talks on the koto’s origins, tuning systems, and its role from the Heian era to the modern day. For instance, in Hiroshima there’s a program offering koto workshops taught in English by an instructor who grew up speaking English. He explains the koto’s history and playing techniques in an easy, engaging way（＊2）.

These seminars are often combined with live performances in a hotel lobby or museum, making it easy for more people (including international guests) to dive into the world of traditional Japanese music.

Koto, Shamisen, Shakuhachi – Seminars to Experience Ensemble Playing of Traditional Instruments

The koto also shines when played with other instruments. Some workshops let you experience playing in a small ensemble. For example, the Japan Traditional Culture Association has a “First-Time Japanese Instruments Workshop” where participants try an easy piece together on koto and shamisen under an instructor’s guidance（＊3）.

Familiar folk songs like “Sakura Sakura” are often chosen so that even beginners (who may not read Japanese notation) can join by ear. It’s like being in a band—there’s a special excitement in creating those layered sounds unique to a traditional Japanese ensemble.

Finally

In every quiet note of the koto, there dwells more than a thousand years of history and Japan’s subtle sense of beauty. Its gentle resonance crosses the barriers of time and language, speaking directly to the heart. For you as a cultural explorer, discovering the world of the koto can be a precious journey into the essence of Japanese tradition.

Allow yourself to imagine the refined stories of the imperial court, the seasonal landscapes painted in melody, and the luxurious settings where the koto’s gentle tones have long echoed – this instrument truly weaves together Japan’s aesthetic beauty in musical form. If you have the chance, listen to the koto live. Its serene, profound voice will surely stir your emotions and satisfy your intellectual curiosity.

We hope this introduction to Japan’s traditional music and the world of the koto has inspired you and opened the door to new cultural experiences.