The biwa (Japanese: 琵琶) is a Japanese short-necked wooden lute used for storytelling. It is a plucked string instrument that became popular in China and later spread to other parts of East Asia, reaching Japan during the Nara period (710–794).

The biwa is usually 60 centimeters (24 inches) to 106 centimeters (42 inches) long. It has a body shaped like a water drop, a short neck, and typically four strings (sometimes five).

In Japan, the biwa is played with a bachi, a type of plectrum, rather than fingers. It is often used to perform gagaku, a traditional court music. One of the biwa’s most famous uses is in reciting The Tale of the Heike, a story from the Kamakura period (1185–1333).

In earlier centuries, blind monks (琵琶法師, biwa hōshi) were the main biwa musicians. They used the biwa to accompany the reading of religious texts.

The biwa’s Chinese ancestor was the pipa (琵琶), which arrived in Japan in two forms. After its introduction, many variations of the biwa developed. Guilds that supported biwa players, especially the biwa hōshi, helped spread the instrument’s music for hundreds of years. Biwa hōshi performances and other biwa players’ performances overlapped long before heikyoku (平曲, The Tale of the Heike) and continue to this day. This overlap led to the biwa’s rapid development and made it one of Japan’s most popular instruments.

Despite its popularity, the Ōnin War and the Warring States Period disrupted biwa teaching and reduced the number of skilled players. During the Meiji period, the abolition of Todo (a system of patronage) caused biwa players to lose their support.

By the late 1940s, the biwa, a deeply rooted Japanese tradition, was nearly forgotten in favor of Western instruments. However, efforts by Japanese musicians have helped revive interest in the biwa. Both Japanese and international musicians now use the biwa in their compositions.

Although blind biwa singers are no longer the main performers, many artists continue to use the instrument in traditional and modern ways.

History

The biwa arrived in Japan in the 7th century. It changed over time from the Chinese bent-neck pipa, which itself came from similar instruments in West Asia. This type of biwa, called the gaku-biwa, was later used in gagaku ensembles and became the most well-known type. Another type of biwa, called the mōsō-biwa or kōjin-biwa, also came to Japan. It first appeared in the Kyushu region. Its origins are unclear, but this thinner biwa was used in ceremonies and religious events.

The biwa became an instrument played at the Japanese Imperial court. Biwa players, called biwa hōshi, were employed and supported by the court. However, after the collapse of the Ritsuryō state, these players faced changes at the court and sought shelter in Buddhist temples. There, they became monks and met the mōsō-biwa. They noticed its convenience and portability and combined these features with their heavy gaku-biwa to create the heike-biwa. This instrument was used mainly for reciting The Tale of the Heike.

Over the next several centuries, players from both traditions shared ideas and created new music styles and instruments. By the Kamakura period (1185–1333), the heike-biwa became more popular. It was a mix of the gaku-biwa and mōsō-biwa, keeping the rounded shape of the gaku-biwa and using a large plectrum like the mōsō-biwa. The heike-biwa was smaller than the mōsō-biwa and used for similar purposes.

The modern satsuma-biwa and chikuzen-biwa both came from the mōsō-biwa. The satsuma-biwa was used by samurai in the Satsuma Domain during the Warring States period for training and performances. The chikuzen-biwa was used by Buddhist monks visiting homes to perform memorial services, as well as to tell stories and share news.

From the 16th century to the mid-19th century, little was written about biwa performance. Three main styles of biwa practice developed during this time: zato (blind biwa players in a state-controlled guild), shifu (samurai style), and chofu (urban style). These styles focused on biwa-uta, which is singing with biwa accompaniment. These styles formed the basis for edo-uta styles, such as shinnai and kota.

From these styles came the two main surviving biwa traditions: the satsuma-biwa and chikuzen-biwa. From the Meiji period (1868–1912) until the Pacific War, these biwa were popular across Japan. At the start of the Shōwa period (1925–1989), the nishiki-biwa was created and became popular. After World War II, only the higo-biwa remained, a style mostly performed by blind people. The higo-biwa is closely related to the heike-biwa and uses an oral tradition to tell stories about wars and legends.

By the middle of the Meiji period, improvements were made to the biwa, and many simple songs were written. In the Taishō period (1912–1926), the satsuma-biwa was changed into the nishiki-biwa, which became popular among female players. This led to a period of popularity for the biwa, with songs about The Tale of the Heike, the Sino-Japanese War, and the Russo-Japanese War, such as Takeo Hirose, Hitachimaru, and Hill 203.

However, the biwa nearly disappeared during the Meiji period because of the introduction of Western music and instruments. Players like Tsuruta Kinshi helped revive the biwa by using modern styles and working with Western composers.

Types

There are more than seven types of biwa, each different in the number of strings, the sounds they make, the type of plectrum used, and how they are played. The biwa does not use tempered tuning, so its pitches are matched to the nearest note.

The gagaku biwa (雅楽琵琶) is a large and heavy biwa with four strings and four frets. It is used only for gagaku music. It makes unique sounds called ichikotsuchō (壱越調) and hyōjō (平調). Its plectrum is small, thin, and often rounded, made from hard materials like boxwood or ivory. It is not used to accompany singing. Like the heike-biwa, it is played held on its side, similar to a guitar, with the player sitting cross-legged. In gagaku music, it is called the gaku-biwa (楽琵琶).

The gogen-biwa (五絃琵琶, "five-stringed biwa") is a type of biwa from the Tang dynasty. It appears in paintings of court orchestras and was used in gagaku music. However, it was removed from court orchestras during reforms in the late 10th century. It is believed that its performance traditions ended by the 10th or 11th century (William P. Malm). This instrument also disappeared from Chinese court orchestras. Recently, it has been revived for historical performances, like the konghou harp. It should not be confused with modern five-string biwa, such as the chikuzen-biwa.

The mōsō-biwa (盲僧琵琶) is a biwa with four strings. It is used to play Buddhist mantras and songs. It is shaped like the chikuzen-biwa but has a narrower body. Its plectrum varies in size and material. The four-fret version is tuned to E, B, E, and A. The five-fret version is tuned to B, e, f♯, and f♯. The six-fret version is tuned to B♭, E♭, B♭, and B♭.

The heike-biwa (平家琵琶) is a biwa with four strings and five frets. It is used to play The Tale of the Heike. Its plectrum is slightly larger than the gagaku-biwa’s, but the instrument itself is smaller, about the size of a chikuzen-biwa. It was originally used by traveling biwa minstrels. Its small size made it easier to play indoors and carry. It is tuned to A, C, E, A or A, C-sharp, E, A.

The satsuma-biwa (薩摩琵琶) is a biwa with four strings and four frets. It became popular during the Edo period in Satsuma Province (now Kagoshima) because of Shimazu Tadayoshi. Modern biwa used for contemporary music often have five or more frets, and some have a doubled fourth string. The satsuma-biwa’s frets are raised 4 centimeters (1.6 inches) from the neck, allowing notes to be bent higher, creating a buzzing sound called sawari. Its plectrum is wider than others, often 25 cm (9.8 inches) or more. The instrument’s size and construction affect its sound, as the curved body is often struck with the plectrum during play.

The satsuma-biwa is traditionally made from Japanese mulberry wood, though other hard woods like Japanese zelkova are sometimes used. Because Japanese mulberry wood grows slowly, the tree must be at least 120 years old, and the wood must be dried for 10 years before construction begins. The strings are made of wound silk. Traditional biwa are tuned to A, E, A, B, while contemporary versions are often tuned to G, G, C, G or G, G, D, G, depending on the player’s voice. The first and second strings are usually the same note, and the fourth (or doubled fourth) string is one octave higher.

The most famous 20th-century satsuma-biwa performer was Tsuruta Kinshi, who created a version of the instrument called the tsuruta-biwa. This biwa often has five strings (though it is essentially a four-string instrument with the fifth string being a doubled fourth played together) and five or more frets. The tuning head and frets are slightly different from standard versions. Tsuruta’s students, Ueda Junko and Tanaka Yukio, continue the tradition of the modern satsuma-biwa. Compositions like Boethius and Nuove Musiche per Biwa by Carlo Forlivesi were written for the satsuma-biwa designed by Tsuruta and Tanaka.

The chikuzen-biwa (筑前琵琶) is a biwa with four strings and four frets or five strings and five frets. It became popular in the Meiji period because of Tachibana Satosada. Most modern performers use the five-string version. Its plectrum is smaller than the satsuma-biwa’s, usually about 13 cm (5.1 inches) wide, though its size, shape, and weight depend on the player’s sex. The plectrum is made from rosewood with boxwood or ivory tips. The instrument varies in size depending on the player, with male players using slightly larger biwa than female or child players. The body is never struck with the plectrum during play. The five-string version is played upright, while the four-string version is held on its side. The instrument is tuned to match the singer’s voice. A common tuning for the four-string version is B, e, f♯, and B. The five-string version can be tuned to C, G, C, D, and G. In this tuning, the first and third strings are the same note, the second string is three steps lower, the fifth string is an octave higher than the second, and the fourth string is one step lower than the fifth. This tuning can also be adjusted to B♭, F, B♭, C, and D. The two major schools of

Styles ofbiwamusic

The biwa is one of Japan's main traditional musical instruments. Over time, it has both influenced and been influenced by other instruments and musical styles. As a result, there are several different ways the biwa is played.

• Hōgaku (Japanese traditional music): In hōgaku, musical instruments usually support vocal performances, which are the main focus of the music. Most hōgaku pieces are vocal.
• Gagaku (Japanese court music): Gagaku was supported by the imperial court and religious places like shrines and temples. Gagaku ensembles included string, wind, and percussion instruments. String and wind instruments were considered more important than percussion instruments. Among the string instruments, the biwa was the most important in gagaku performances.
• Shōmyō (Buddhist chanting): The biwa was not used in shōmyō, but the way the biwa is sung is closely connected to shōmyō, especially in mōsō- and heike-style biwa singing. Both shōmyō and mōsō-biwa singing originated in Indian Buddhist traditions. The heike-biwa, an earlier form of the mōsō-biwa, was the main instrument used by biwa hōshi, who were blind Buddhist priests.

Most biwa have four strings, but modern satsuma- and chikuzen-biwa may have five strings. The strings vary in thickness, with the first string being the thickest and the fourth string the thinnest. On chikuzen-biwa, the second string is the thickest, and the fourth and fifth strings are the same thickness on both chikuzen- and satsuma-biwa. The different thicknesses of the strings create varied sounds when the strings are played in different directions.

Biwa tuning is not fixed. The pitch and tone can change by whole steps or small intervals called microtones. In group singing, biwa performers often start singing at different times and use unsynchronized, overlapping accompaniment. In solo performances, biwa players sing one melody at a time, with smooth, flowing notes throughout. These melodies do not follow a specific harmony. Instead, biwa singers use flexible pitches without distinguishing between high or low vocal parts like soprano, alto, tenor, or bass. This style is supported by the biwa, which produces short, sliding notes called glissandi. Biwa singing often has a nasal tone, especially when vowels, the consonant "ん," or syllables starting with "g" (like "ga" and "gi") are sung. Biwa performers also change their voice volume from very soft to very loud. Since biwa music was usually performed for small groups, singers did not need to project their voices as loudly as opera singers in Western music.

Biwa music is based on a pentatonic scale, which has five notes in each octave. Sometimes extra notes are added, but the scale remains primarily pentatonic. The rhythm in biwa performances allows for flexible timing. Songs are not always in a set meter, though modern collaborations often use meters. Notes on the biwa usually start slowly and softly, gradually increasing in speed and volume. The texture of biwa singing is often described as "sparse."

The plectrum, or the small tool used to pluck the strings, also affects the sound of biwa music. Larger plectrums, like those used on mōsō-biwa, create harsher, more intense sounds compared to smaller ones used on gaku-biwa. The material of the plectrum also changes the sound. Ivory and plastic plectrums produce a firmer tone, while wooden plectrums create a more twangy sound.

Use in modern music

Biwa usage in Japan has decreased a lot since the Heian period. Outside influences, internal challenges, and political and social problems changed how the biwa was supported and its image. For example, the Ōnin War during the Muromachi period (1338–1573) and the later Warring States period (15th–17th centuries) disrupted the training of heikyoku performers. As a result, younger musicians began using other instruments, and interest in biwa music dropped. Even biwa hōshi musicians switched to other instruments, such as the shamisen (a three-stringed lute).

Interest in the biwa grew again during the Edo period (1600–1868), when Tokugawa Ieyasu unified Japan and created the Tokugawa shogunate. Ieyasu supported biwa music and helped strengthen biwa guilds (called Todo) by providing money and giving them special rights. Shamisen players and other musicians found it financially helpful to switch to the biwa, bringing new styles of biwa music. The Edo period was one of the most productive and creatively rich times for the biwa in Japan’s history.

In 1868, the Tokugawa shogunate ended, leading to the Meiji period and the Meiji Restoration. During this time, the samurai class was abolished, and the Todo lost their support. Biwa players no longer had special rights and had to find ways to support themselves. At the start of the Meiji period, there were at least 100 traditional court musicians in Tokyo. However, by the 1930s, this number had dropped to 46 in Tokyo, and about a quarter of these musicians later died in World War II. Life in post-war Japan was difficult, and many musicians gave up their music to find more stable jobs.

Many biwa styles, such as kindai-biwa between 1900 and the 1930s, were popular in the early 1900s. However, the war again disrupted the training of biwa musicians. Today, many biwa traditions no longer have direct ways to teach the instrument. Even higo-biwa players, who were popular in the early 20th century, may no longer be able to pass down oral compositions, as the people who carried the tradition have died or can no longer play. Kindai-biwa still has many professional and amateur players, but the zato, heike, and moso-biwa styles are nearly gone.

As biwa music declined after World War II, many Japanese composers and musicians tried to bring it back. They noticed that music education in Japan focused mostly on Western music theory. Starting in the late 1960s, these musicians began using Japanese instruments and music in their work. For example, composer Tōru Takemitsu worked with Western composers to include the biwa in his music. His famous piece, November Steps, combined biwa heikyoku with Western orchestral music, which helped revive interest in the biwa and inspired other musicians to work across different genres, such as J-Pop, enka, shin-hougaku, and gendaigaku.

Other musicians, like Yamashika Yoshiyuki, who many experts believe was the last biwa hōshi, saved songs that were almost lost. Yamashika, born in the late Meiji period, continued the biwa hōshi tradition until his death in 1996. From the late 1960s to the late 1980s, composers and historians from around the world visited Yamashika and recorded his songs. Before this time, the biwa hōshi tradition was only passed down orally. When Yamashika died in 1996, the tradition of biwa hōshi teaching ended with him. However, his recordings helped preserve the music and creativity of that time.

In popular culture

In the manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, the villain Nakime controls the Infinity Castle by using a special musical instrument called a biwa.