Toshiko Yonekawa

Born 1913 in Himezi city, Hyogo prefecture, as the eldest daughter of Yonekawa Kin’o (1883-1969). She received lessons of koto and sangen from her farther. He was the first Ikuta school koto and sangen player who started artistic activity in Tokyo in Taisyo period (1912-1926). He himself was an excellent musician and performed traditional repertoire with a striking accuracy in pitches and rhythms. He was also creative in composition, inventor of the low-registered 13-stringed koto and inventor of new notations for koto and sangen.