Yatsuhashi Kengyo
Yatsuhashi Kengyō (八橋 検校; 1614–1685) was a Japanese musician and composer from Kyoto. The name kengyō is an honorary title given to highly skilled blind musicians. Yatsuhashi, who was born and died in Japan, was originally a player of the shamisen, but later learned the koto from a musician of the Japanese court.
Also recorded as Yatsuhashi Kengyō
Yatsuhashi Kengyo
Kamigata0 · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Yatsuhashi Kengyō
- Born
- 1614
- Birthplace
- Kyoto
- Died
- 1685
- Occupation
- Musician, Composer
- Nationality
- Japan
- Known for
- Rokudan no shirabe
- Languages
- Japanese
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Documentary summary
Yatsuhashi Kengyō (八橋 検校; 1614–1685) was a Japanese musician and composer from Kyoto. The name kengyō is an honorary title given to highly skilled blind musicians. Yatsuhashi, who was born and died in Japan, was originally a player of the shamisen, but later learned the koto from a musician of the Japanese court.
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Authority files
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In this article
Biography
Biography
While the instrument was originally restricted to the court, Yatsuhashi is credited as the first musician to introduce and teach the koto to general audiences. He is thus known as the "Father of Modern Koto." He changed the limited selection of six pieces to a brand new style of koto music which he called kumi uta. He adapted the Hirajoshi scale and the Insen scale for the koto, from the shamisen repertoire. Yatsuhashi is also credited as the composer of the important koto solo piece Rokudan-no-shirabe (六段の調, Music of Six Steps), although he may not actually have composed it himself.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Yatsuhashi Kengyō • Native Name — 八橋 検校 (Yatsuhashi Kengyō) • Alias — Father of Modern Koto • Born — 1614 • Birthplace — Kyoto • Origin — Japan • Died — 1685 • Genre — Traditional Japanese music • Occupation — Musician, Composer • Instrument — Koto, Shamisen • Years Active — 17th century
Primary material
Documents and archives
Institutional database
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q4022598: Yatsuhashi Kengyo
Scholarly · Wikimedia Foundation
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 130644056, Yatsuhashi, Kengyō.
General reference · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
reference work
- “Yatsuhashi Kengyo”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
Wikidata, structured authority record Q4022598: Yatsuhashi KengyoWikimedia Foundation
Institutional witnessauthority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 130644056, Yatsuhashi, Kengyō.Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 19 August 2026.
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