Yatsuhashi Kengyo

Yatsuhashi Kengyō (1614-1681) was a Japanese musician and composer from Kyoto. Yatsuhashi was originally a player of the shamisen, but later learned the koto from a musician of the Japanese court. Originally restricted to the court, Yatsuhashi is credited as the first musician to introduce and teach the koto to general audiences. The name Kengyō was an honorary title given to highly skilled blind musicians.