While Sanyo often participated in koto kai (the gathering to appreciate the sound of guqin [ancient Chinese seven stringed zither]) where literary men gathered, Sanyo himself played Heike biwa (Japanese lute).
文人達の集まる琴会（古琴を愉しむ会）にたびたび足を運んだが、自身は琵琶平家琵琶を嗜んだ。