Kenjun, a Jodo priest, mastered gagaku (ancient Japanese court dance and music) and Kayo (songs and ballads) that had been handed down to the monks of his temple, and learned how to play the Kokin (Chinese zither with 3000 year history) from Teikatei, a Chinese musician who was in Japan at that time; drawing on what he had learnt, he began making Sokyoku music.
彼は浄土僧でもあり、寺院に伝承される雅楽や歌謡を修め、また当時来日していた明人の鄭家定に古琴（きん）を学び、これらから箏曲を作り出した。