The Koto on the Bus Goes Plink, Plink, Plink...

Today, I had my first koto lesson.

The koto is a 13-stringed traditional Japanese instrument that is played on the floor. It's like a zither, but 6 feet long. A.k.a. a little bit taller than me. I have my koto lessons at my teacher's house for one hour every Monday, from 9-10. At least, that is the schedule that we established today. She knows that I am a student and I have classes every day that begin at 1pm so I told her I need to get back up to Kyoto Uni (she lives near Tofukuji, a little south of Kyoto Station but not too much) so I can prepare for my classes. Takes about 45 minutes total to get from my house to hers, with walking time factored into the bus ride.

The koto, to say the least is a bit tricky. I played the flute for about 5 years back in junior high and high school so I sort of remember how to read a scale - not that I need to, koto is played by the string number but they did translate it to a scale, but right now I don't need to worry about that for the moment.

But...I am left handed. The koto is played with the right hand. My coordination and manual dexterity in my right hand not only needs to be worked on, but man will it get a workout.

Tuning is going to be a bit tricky. Right now I am relying on my ear but I hope to get a small tuner to help out a bit.

So my teacher and I go through the scale; she has a koto and sets one up for me.

Plink, plink, plink.

Kneeling on the floor is really hard, especially when your left knee has been acting up since you get to Japan. My teacher sees me fidgeting and chuckles - she, of course is used to kneeling on the floor.

Plink and slur up the scale, plink and slur down the scale.

Lesson is over; my teacher tells me to pack up the bridges (they raise the strings off the board and serve as the means for tuning) and tells me that I am taking them home.

Huh? Why would I need to take bridges home?

I have my own koto picks ($25 for three! Yikes - but I got a box for it so they are well protected) but bridges?

Right now, there is a koto in my room. A 6 foot koto, with bridges, a music stand to hold my book and the stand that raises one end of the koto from the ground. In my house. For the next year and a half.


I brought it home on the bus. I carried it to school, to class and home. It's not everyday you see an almost 6-foot tall gaijin girl carrying a 6-foot long koto. From the teachers at Kyoto Uni I got words and looks of encouragement; from the people one the street, I got looks that clearly said, "WTF?"

Along with my one hour lesson, I intend to practice one hour a day, every day. Even if it means to just plink away for the moment. But, if my basic plinking gets good, then I will try a song called "Sakura, Sakura." It's in my music book - still simple plinking, but instead of going just up and down the scale, I plink all over the place.

OoOoO - a challenge.

Plink!