What is a Koto?

The koto is a string instrument that originated in China and came to Japan in the 7th-8th century.
The Japanese koto is a large instrument, about six feet long, consisting of a hollow body made from Paulownia wood (kiri).
Underneath the body are two sound holes, one at each end. There are 13 strings which are tied over stationary bridges at each end of the body.
The strings are the same size and same tension. A movable bridge, called a ji, is placed somewhere along the length of each string.
The ji lift the strings off of the body so that they will resonate when plucked. The strings are tuned by sliding the movable bridges back and forth.
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