Koto
The koto in five languages: Italian, German and French borrow the Japanese name for this thirteen-string zither
Related
Five languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 日本筝（筝） |
| English | koto |
| Italian | koto |
| German | Koto |
| French | koto |
The koto is Japan's thirteen-string plucked zither; a seventeen-string bass version also exists. A paulownia body carries one movable bridge under each string, and the player uses picks of tortoiseshell or resin. Its prototype reached Japan from Tang China (the usual account), but tuning, repertory and technique developed independently. Italian, German and French simply use koto.
Watch out: the koto is related to the Chinese guzheng but is not the same instrument — string count, tuning and timbre differ; Japanese koto once meant stringed instruments generally and today usually means the thirteen-string zither. Nor is it a guqin: the koto has bridges, the guqin has none.
Read deeper → The koto
Sources
- 各语种名称与形制，参 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "Koto"；译名参通行音乐术语词典；本文为原创表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.