Her fingers dance upon the strings, and like a river or wind, the sounds of the koto carry June Okida Kuramoto. The ancient Japanese instrument drew her in with its angelic voice when she was a little ...

At the Museum of Veterans in Vilonia, there is a framed copy of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender. It was a donation to the museum by an old sailor who was there for the proceedings some 80 years ...

This article is part of a two-part series. To learn about a biwa master and her music lessons, see here. Traditional Japanese instruments, also known as wagakki, are an intrinsic part of Japan’s rich ...