← Core Kyoto · Season 4

Traditional Musical Instruments: Eternal Tones Waft Through the Ancient Capital

S4 · E6 · 21 Apr 2016 · 28 min

The world's oldest orchestral music, gagaku was imported from mainland China in ancient times. The melody is not based on a scale, yet the tunes are gentle, unmetered tones of continuous notes. The shakuhachi flute is a Buddhist instrument that brings enlightenment. The koto zither was much loved among the ancient aristocracy. The guitar-like shamisen entertains banquet guests in the flower districts. Discover the eternal tunes that harmonized the musical instruments' nature with human emotions.