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Yatsuhashi Kengyō

八橋 検校

Yatsuhashi Kengyō
1614 - 1685

Composer

Yatsuhashi Kenkaku was the founder of early modern koto music and is credited with establishing koto kumikyoku and danmono in his own koto works.

A musician of the early Edo period (1624-1685), he was active in the field of shamisen in Settsu and was a master of the instrument. He was also a master of the koto and kokyu (Japanese violin). He later went to Edo (present-day Tokyo) to learn the chikushi koto from Hosui, and later played in Kyoto.

He improved the instrument itself and its playing method for solo koto playing, and formalized the musical formulas such as "danmono" to create the basis of the Japanese koto as we know it today.

From childhood he was visually impaired. He first made a name for himself in Settsu, Osaka, with the shamisen, which is one of the arts of the Todoza.

He founded "Kumiuta 13 songs", which is very different from Tsukushi Koto's kumiuta (Kenjun 10 songs) in terms of both music and lyrics, further enhancing the literary artistry of the kumiuta.

Yatsuhashi Kengyo established the foundation of modern sokyoku by creating this "Yatsuhashi 13-gumi" and composing three instrumental songs as danmono.
This is called the "Yatsuhashi style", and from around 1663 he lived in Kyoto and raised many disciples.

In 1662, he visited Matsudaira Yamatomori's residence and performed koto kumiuta and shamisen kumiuta.

Yatsuhashi, a Kyoto sweet, comes from his name. It resembled the shape of a koto, so it was named Yatsuhashi.

Also Known As Jōdan
Students

Composed or Arranged

Koto Compositions
Title Kanji Year Alternate Title
Fuki 菜蕗

Etenraku
Hachidan no Shirabe 八段の調


Junidan Sugagaki 十二段すががき


Kiritsubo 桐壷の曲

Kuina No Kyoku, Aoyagi No Kyoku
Kokoro Zukushi 心尽

Oguruma No Kyoku, Miyakodori
Kumo no Ue 雲の上

Musashino No Kyoku
Kumoi Hachidan 雲井八段


Kumoi Midare 雲井乱


Kumoi no Kyoku 雲井の曲


Kumoi Rokudan 雲井六段


Kumoi Rōsai 雲井弄斎


Midare Rinzetsu 乱輪舌


Niju Hachidan 二重八段


Ōgi no Kyoku 扇の曲


Otsu no Kumi 乙の組


Rokudan no Shirabe 六段の調


Rokudan Sugagaki 六段すががき


Shiki no Kyoku 四季の曲


Suma 須磨


Tenka Taihei 天下太平

Sumiyoshi No Kyoku, Hinazura No Kyoku, Taiheiraku, Taihei Tenka Taihei
Tōryū Shiki Genji 当流四季源氏

Otome No Kyoku
Umegae 梅ケ枝

Chidori No Kyoku
Usu Yuki 薄雪

Asagao No Kyoku, Shinonome No Kyoku
Usugoromo 薄衣

Tegai No Kyoku, Kashiwagi No Kyoku
Yūbe no Kumo 夕辺の雲

Clouds at Sunset
Yuki no Ashita 雪の晨

Aoi No Kyoku, Nahi No Kyoku
Shamisen
Koryu Shiki Genji 古流四季源氏