Modern Koto

The Meiji period during the late 19^th century was a time of great westernization in Japanese culture. This included musical culture as well. The composer Michio Miyagi was one of the most influential musicians trying to revive interest in traditional instruments. He was one of the first to combine traditional koto music with western music and created the 17 string koto, commonly known as the bass koto, to expand the instruments range. Since then, composers have continued to create new contemporary pieces and playing techniques. Japanese artists such as the band Rin’ and the group Hiroshima have experimented with fusing the koto into genres as diverse as jazz and pop.  The instrument has even been featured in tracks by western artists like David Bowie and Dr. Dre.