However, near the end of the 19th century after the Meji Restoration, a period of dramatic modernization and Westernization began in Japan. Schools started teaching Western music, and within only a couple of decades, the Japanese mainstream preferred the Western music taught to them in school rather than traditional Japanese music.

In an effort to preserve and perpetuate the koto and promote appreciation of traditional Japanese music, forward-thinking composers of the early 20th century incorporated elements of Western music into koto compositions. The most prolific and influential composer during this rapid period of change was Michio Miyagi (1894-1956).

Miyagi made his music more accessible to mainstream Japanese culture by incorporating musical structures and playing techniques influenced by Western music. In addition, he composed koto music targeted at Japanese children. This allowed him to inspire early interest in the koto, and helped increase the instrument’s popularity. In an effort to create broader appeal for the koto, Miyagi even invented a new 17 string koto sometimes referred to as a bass koto, or jûshichigen.

Innovative composers responding to rapid outside influence helped drive the modernization of the koto.
Still bored? Click to continue: Foreign-born professional strives to reconnect Japanese with koto music

The improvisatory nature of jazz requires a level of depth and knowledge of one’s instrument that allows spontaneous composition and the ability to recall and alter melodies on the spot. On standards such as “Summertime,” Obata is able to ring a wealth of emotion out of her improvised lines in spite of the lack of sustain on her string instrument. The unique timbre of the koto also makes for a contrasting color that can slip in and out of accompaniment roles in the rhythm section and soloing. This color is one of many things to set East West Jazz apart.

Most of our influence comes in the form of this ideal lifestyle we invented where a person had to go out and get what they want regardless of others. Such a thing is actually quite unheard of in the Japanese culture but little by little it’s starting to come out in the culture. Terms we have invented, clothing we have created, even our own language is being used by Japanese singers in their songs. In fact, in many Japanese pop songs, English words are interspersed with Japanese lyrics to serve as nothing more than a kind of “ear grab” to anyone passing by. Our culture is so popular and known to them that our language is often used as a kind of grabber in advertising and in music. Let’s just hope that’s all it’s used for.

What better way to bring the new year in than with several thousand other people, and being out having a great time on the streets. You will not be at home waiting for the ball to drop, or at an indoor party, where it is crowded and you are not having nearly as fun a time as you would somewhere else. So, experience the new year the right way this coming year, and make sure to spend the night at the outdoor Rhythm And Vines Music Festival, to bring the new year in right

The Koto is a 13-string musical instrument made of wood with plastic or silk strings. This national instrument of Japan is believed to have been introduced from China in the 7th to 8th century. Around the 16th century, a Buddist priest residing in the mountains of Japan began to compose ‘tsukushi goto’ style music for the koto.

Paul Winter formed a consort group of American instrumentalists during the late 1960s and as the group traveled around the world, Winter became enthralled with musical sounds made by creatures such as wolves, birds and whales. He began creating a music-ecology genre later dubbed ‘earth music’ mixing sound recordings and the koto.

In 2010, Paul Winter decided to record an album at Miho Museum in the area of Kyoto to combined music of nature and mankind. For this very special album, Winter chose to accompany the creatures on French horn. Among the sounds he captured was the song of the Japanese rush warbler.

New age Japanese music saved this romantic traditional of koto music from dying out, as it was becoming unpopular. This revival was intentional, and it was a collaborative effort on the part of new musicians, composers, poets, and academics. Western themes were inserted into koto music, and thus began its revival. Its revival was widespread, and now the koto is known throughout the world.

The richness of Japanese history and tradition that is displayed by koto music is a thing that is precious. The romantic tone of the koto sets the scene for the romantic style it was intended for. Whether the tradition of the koto is brought to life through a concert, or the romantic style is recorded and played for all to hear, the world is better because this wonderful Japanese tradition was kept alive. .