Instruments
Koto
An instrument central to the classical music of Japan, the koto is a long zither--a plucked stringed instrument whose strings run parallel to its soundboard. Related to other East Asian zithers but has been known in its current form in Japan for more than a millennium, the koto has thirteen silk strings. The player sits cross-legged or kneels on the floor in front of the instrument. The koto is used in the Japanese gagaku court orchestra, and composers such as Cowell have experimented with incorporating it into Western classical forms. It has also been used to add an exotic splash to the work of many rock and jazz acts; Ry Cooder has included a koto on several recordings. The koto's versatility is due to its most distinctive feature: its movable frets. Under each string is a large fret (actually more like a bridge in appearance) that can be slid to the left or right, enabling the player to tune the instrument according to the musical requirements of the genre in which he or she is performing.