Spirit of Wa: Masterpieces for the Koto — Japan’s Beautiful Melodies

The koto is an instrument with a soft tone and an enchanting sound.

Koto music is perfect for quintessentially Japanese occasions like New Year’s celebrations.

When you listen to it, it feels familiar to the ear and calms the heart.

In this article, I’d like to introduce many famous koto pieces.

By the way, I’ve been using the character “琴” for koto, but some of you might be thinking, shouldn’t it be “箏”?

Strictly speaking, “koto” (琴) and “koto/so” (箏) refer to different instruments.

However, since I want to cover as many pieces as possible, I’m using “koto” here as an umbrella term.

Please read on to the end.

Playlist

Spirit of Wa: Masterpieces for the Koto — Japan’s Beautiful Melodies
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Immortal Deity Dance SuiteYui Kore Shins’ichi		This piece, often regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces of contemporary koto music…
2	Beyond AscensionSawai Higarū		Tadao Sawai, the founder of the Sawai Koto Institute, and Kazue Sawai…
3	January 1st		If you're looking for New Year's songs, here are some of the most classic ones...
4	Song of the WindSawai Tadao		Composed in 1970, which is quite new for a koto piece…
5	Moon over the Ruined Castle		It’s not strictly a koto piece, but here you go…
6	Concerto of PinesMiki Minoru		From a dignified solo to an elegant ensemble, and then the shakuhachi...
7	Meiji Pine, Bamboo, and Plum		A “shōchikubai” piece, with the New Year’s decorations of pine, bamboo, and plum as its theme…
8	Ring of DreamsSawai Higarū		An all-female, so-called wagakki (traditional Japanese instruments) version of ga…
9	Song of the PloversYoshizawa Kengyō		Said to be one of the representative pieces of early modern Japanese music…
10	koto songHosokawa Toshio		This piece, known as being by a contemporary music composer, …
11	Crimsonkafuugetsu		“Crimson” intertwines the 25-string koto, shakuhachi, and piano...
12	OKOTOSawai Higarū		Created with a new sensibility using the traditional instrument, the koto…
13	Koto music: HigurashiMiyagi Michio		Here is a piece composed by Michio Miyagi during the Taishō era…
14	Yachiyo ShishiFujinaga Kengyō		Yachiyo, which had originally been cherished as a piece for the shakuhachi...
15	MemoryEto Kimio		Memories—its beautiful, heartrending melody lingers in the heart...
16	Spring SeaMiyagi Michio		The koto melody that evokes the history of Japan carries the seasons...
17	Song of the Autumn WindKozaki Kengyo		Composed by Kōzaki Kengyō during the Tenpō era of the Edo period…
18	vortexKagrra		“Vortex” begins with an intro melody played on the koto…
19	Etenraku		This piece, Etenraku, which is one of the compositions of gagaku...
20	Ekusō KotoSawai Higarū		Hikaru Sawai continues to compose new pieces for the koto...
21	Phase changes of waterMiyagi Michio		Michio Miyagi, a genius koto performer and composer, ...
22	Mode of YatsudanYatsuhashi Kengyō		Yatsuhashi, a koto performer and composer from the early Edo period…
23	cherry blossom		As a form of traditional Japanese music on the international stage...
24	Koto piece: Rokudan no ShirabeYatsuhashi Kengyō		This piece is by Yatsuhashi Kengyō, the founder of modern-era koto music...
25	the sound of the rapidsMiyagi Michio		It’s a piece composed by Michio Miyagi when he was 29 years old, and…
26	Autumn SongMiki Minoru		Written in 1980 for shakuhachi and 20-string koto…
27	Five Sections of Fulling BlocksKozaki Kengyo		This piece was composed by Mitsuhashi Kengyō, who was active in the late Edo (Bakumatsu) period...
28	Symphonic Eclogue for 20-String Koto and OrchestraIfukube Akira		Symphonic E… for 20-String Koto and Orchestra