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Koto, Sanshin (Shamisen), Kokyu

The sokyoku(Koto and Sanshin) is said to begin by Kengyō Yatsuhashi, which is said to be the ancestor of modern sokyoku. Based on the koto that was introduced to Japan as one of the ensemble instruments of gagaku in the Nara period, Kengyō created new Koto scale: Hiracyoushi, which included semitones.
After that, in the Edo period, Kenkō Ikuta established the ancestor of the Ikuta style, and it was closely linked to the shamisen music Jiuta and Kokyu that were performed in western Japan, and developed. Jiuta sokyoku is originally music that was enjoyed in tatami rooms, and we think that the delicate playing method that was nurtured in a small space is a big attraction.

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