Folk | Biwa Hoshi, Heike Biwa, Moso, and Goze

The biwa, a form of short-necked lute, was played by a group of itinerant performers (biwa hoshi) who used it to accompany stories. The most famous of these stories is The Tale of the Heike, a 12th century history of the triumph of the Minamoto clan over the Taira. Biwa hoshi began to organize themselves into a guild-like association (todo) as early as the thirteenth century. This guild eventually controlled a large portion of the musical culture of Japan.

In addition, numerous smaller groups of itinerant blind musicians were formed especially in the Kyushu area. These musicians, known as moso (blind monk) toured their local areas and performed a variety of religious and semi-religious texts to purify households and bring about good health and good luck. They also maintained a repertory of secular genres. The biwa that they played was considerably smaller than the Heike biwa played by the biwa hoshi.

Blind women, known as goze also toured the land since the medieval era, singing songs and playing accompanying music on a lap drum. From the seventeenth century they often played the koto or the shamisen. Goze organizations sprung up throughout the land, and existed until recently in what is today Niigata prefecture.