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Happy New Year~~!
How was your holiday? Did you have a good time with your family or someone special?

Today, I can finally share with you my playing Koto music. Koto is a traditional Japanese musical instrument. Since my mother was an authorised teacher of it, I started to play it since 5 years old. She wanted me to be a professional Koto player, hence she was very enthusiastic about teaching it to me. She was an everyday teacher to me, and once a month I went to have a lesson at a very professional teacher in Tokyo. The everyday Koto lesson as well as monthly lesson and recitals or concerts with Shamisen (three-stringed lute) and Shakuhachi (five-holed bamboo clarinet) were way too much for a child who wanted to play around just like as other kids. At the age of 13, I quit it when I found I didn’t enjoy playing it at all. Professional Koto player was not my goal. I decided not to continue it any longer then.

Time has passed without playing Koto at all for over a few decades, and now that I blog to the world, I feel like sharing something very Japanese with my blog readers. Koto is too traditional and way too old style for young people today in Japan. Even if it’s a Japanese traditional music, it’s only New Year’s Day and arond then when we can hear the music at stores. Even when I started to learn it, I was the only one in my elementary school who was learning it. Most of my classmates were learning how to play piano. Some of my friends just told me “Isn’t it out-of-date?” honestly.

Please note I played it for the first time since 6 years old, for the first time in over 20 years since I quit it, it’s not perfect at all. But it’s not bad at all, either!
It’s still New Year mood in Japan. Koto music is still here and there at stores, which however will be over soon…