Hi, Koto Learners!
Have you ever had your koto string suddenly break? Have you ever been in a situation where you couldn’t fix it?
Well, here’s some good news for you!
Introducing the “Hime” string tightener for koto, exclusively produced by Nakao Gakki Shop in Japan.
This device can be attached to your koto and provides the following benefits:
- You can easily tighten the strings of the koto.
- You can freely adjust the tuning to any tone.
The biggest advantage? With this string tightener, you can tighten the strings yourself in just a minute!
How to Attach the “Hime” string tightener to Your Koto?
- You will need to attach the string tightener to the Ryubi side of the koto, not the Ryukaku side.

2. You will need to drill two holes in the body of the koto on the Ryubi side and firmly secure the string tightener with bolts.

Video Tutorial
Watch this video to see how to attach the “Hime” string tightener to your koto. https://youtu.be/Z3EkxrNiVnw
Price in Japan : JPY 44,000 (Tax included)
For international shipping or any inquiries, please send an email to: nakao.gakki@gmail.com
Case Study of How to use “Hime” string tightener at KotoKottoN in Singapore
KotoKottoN is a koto ensemble based in Singapore.
https://nuskotokotton.wixsite.com/kotokotton
One day during practice, the 10th string (十) suddenly broke. How should we deal with this problem using the string tightener “Hime”?
1. The 10th string (十) broke near the Ryukaku side.
2. Cut off the broken end of the string “十” and tie a knot at the end near the Ryukaku side.

3. Pull the string toward the Ryubi side (the opposite side of Ryukaku).

4. Thread the string through the hole in the string tightener “Hime” at “十”.

5. Pull all the strings downward together and adjust the tension using the white round handle.

6. Neatly create and secure two loops with all the strings.

7. Done!

Once you get the hang of it, you can tighten a string in less than a minute! It’s stress-free, and our sensei never gets upset when a string breaks. In fact, she smiles and says, “Oh, you must be practicing hard!”
You can even tighten a string on stage, and I managed to replace it with “Hime” while everyone was tuning! It was thrilling! Haha.
We hope this information helps, especially for those learning koto outside of Japan.
Enjoy learning the koto!