The Koto

The Japanese koto is a harp-like zither about six feet long made of paulownia wood fromthe Japanese "kiri" (paulownia) tree. The koto is said to resemble a dragon and even today, the koto's body parts are still referred to as dragon-head, dragon-back, dragon-legs, etc. The koto'sthirteen strings are made of silk or nylon and are each of the same thickness. Each string istuned by a moveable bridge made of ivory or plastic, shaped like an inverted Y. Two soundingholes are bored out of the backboard. The koto is played with three plectra or picks made ofivory or plastic fitted into leather bands which are placed on the right hand's index finger,middle finger and thumb. Traditionally, the koto scale is pentatonic (five notes excludingthe octave), and the most popular traditional Japanese tuning is called "hirajoshi," literally"tranquil tuning," D Eb G A Bb D. The koto produces the purest musical tone of the traditionalJapanese stringed instruments; however, there are many special techniques of koto which produceadded musical effects in accordance with Japanese taste, such as scraping and hitting the strings with the plectra.