Okoto

Hikaru Sawai is the present head of the Sawai koto institute and the son of Tadao and Kazue Sawai. Hikaru is one of the leading composers of modern koto. He grew up listening as much to rock music as koto, which gives his compositions a contemporary feel, and has been playing in rock bands for several years. Hikaru plays a 13 stringed and 17 stringed koto, plus sangen (3 stringed instrument) and performs with various other musicians including fellow koto player Chieko Fukunaga, a shakuhachi player and the Tadao Sawai ensemble.