Kyoto Japanese Koto Workshop with Live Performance

Explore traditional Japanese music in Kyoto through a hands-on koto playing session guided by expert instructors.

Getting started

Check in at the venue and meet your expert instructors, who will introduce the flow of the koto experience. After a short orientation, you will move to your seat, where all instruments are provided free of charge. Once everyone is settled, the instructors begin with an introduction to Japanese music to prepare you for your hands-on practice.

What to expect

Koto experience workshop

This activity-based workshop in Kyoto focuses on traditional Japanese instruments, with a special emphasis on the koto and how Japanese music differs from Western music.

Features

• Gain insights into the history and characteristics of traditional Japanese instruments, including the koto, as your instructors explain how the sound, scales, and playing techniques developed in Japan.
• Experience the unique features of Japanese music compared to Western music, listening closely to nuances of sound and rhythm that highlight differences in tone, timing, and expression.
• Take part in a hands-on koto playing session, using a provided instrument while you follow step-by-step guidance from expert instructors to produce your own melodies.
• Enjoy a live traditional Japanese music performance after your practice session, watching how professionals handle the koto and other instruments so you can connect what you learned with a full performance.
• Rely on all instruments provided free of charge, so you do not need to bring any equipment to participate fully in the workshop.
• Receive a certificate of participation at the end of the session, a tangible way to commemorate your koto experience and your introduction to the history and features of Japanese music.