Learning Traditional Music Through the Relationship Between Sounds and Words in Kuchi-shoga:

Developing Lessons for Koto in Elementary School Music Classes

Abstract

This paper aims to develop a curriculum for studying traditional music in elementary school. It examines the relationship between Japanese sounds and words to create a pathway for developing lessons using the Koto, with the help of kuchi- shoga, that is, using words to produce instrumental melodies. As a result of the study of the connection between kuchi- shoga and the sound of children’s world, (1) the value of spontaneous expression among children, (2) the feeling of joy that comes from capturing their melodies in their own words, (3) how to communicate auditory images through kuchi-shoga, and (4) how to enjoy learning while naturally understanding the essence of traditional Japanese music through kuchi-shoga, enabling the class’s course of study to be determined.