Large Picture(click here!)

SOUND (click here!)

KOTO(JAPANESE HARP) AND YATSUHASHI KENGYO
(THE HIGHEST RANK OF COURT − MUSICIAN)

  Shamisen and Koto were the most popular instruments played
among general public during the Edo ear. These instruments 
were introduced by the blind, who played them to earn their
living.
  It was blind persons called Biwahoshi(player of the 
Japanese lute) who Japanized Jabisen(a snake-skin shamisen) 
of Ryukyu(now Okinawa prefecture). We cannot forget the fact
that how the blind supported the music of Joruri(included 
Gidayubushi) accompanied with shamisen, although the reciter
Takemoto Gidayu is the only well-known character of 
Gidayubushi, (Gidayu is a form of ballad-drama, Gidayubushi
is its music accompanment), which played at stage. It was 
written by Monzaemon Chikamatsu, one of the three most 
famous literati of Genroku period.
  Even now, players of shamisen have names like Tsurusawa, 
Takesawa. These-sawa are derived from the founder Sawaoh 
Kengyo. Koto has long history,originally played as musical 
instruments of Gagaku(ancient imperial court music). It is 
certain that Biwahoshi themselves, looking for new 
instruments other than biwa, improved koto and the way of
performance so that ordinary people could enjoy it.
  We may say that Yatsuhashi Kengyo was the most important 
person who tried to spread koto. We can still enjoy his 
music nowadays, for example, instrumental music like Melody
of 6-dan, Melody of 8-dan and vocal music of Kumiuta (
included several pieces of Japanese poems of Kokinshu, etc.)
, accompanied by koto.

Go Back to JD's Home Page [ Japanese | English ]