Hirajoshi Scales

Hirajoshi is the name of a Japanese Scale that was originally used in shamisen music. The word Hirajoshi is more correctly written with a macron: Hirajōshi.

This is a pentatonic scale (it uses five tones), characterized by two half steps and two quadra-steps. You may find the Hirajoshi Scale in other patterns, but the version presented here is probably the most common.

C

C Hirajoshi scale diagram
Notes: C, D, Eb, G, Ab, C

C# / Db

C# Hirajoshi scale diagram
Notes: C#, D#, E, G#, A, C#

D

D Hirajoshi scale diagram
Notes: D, E, F, A, Bb, D

D# /Eb

D# Hirajoshi scale diagram
Notes: D#, E# (F), F#, A#, B, D#

E

E Hirajoshi scale diagram
Notes: E, F#, G, B, C, E

F

F Hirajoshi scale diagram
Notes: F, G, Ab, C, Db, F

F# / Gb

F# Hirajoshi scale diagram
Notes: F#, G#, A, C#, D, F#

G

G Hirajoshi scale diagram
Notes: G, A, Bb, D, Eb, G

G# / Ab

G# Hirajoshi scale diagram
Notes: G#, A#, B, D#, E, G#

A

A Hirajoshi scale diagram
Notes: A, B, C, E, F, A

A# / Bb

A# Hirajoshi scale diagram
Notes: Bb, C, Db, F, Gb, Bb

B

B Hirajoshi scale diagram
Notes: B, C#, D, F#, G, B

Hirajoshi Scales overview
C: C, D, Eb, G, Ab, C
C#/Db: C#, D#, E, G#, A, C# / Db, Eb, Fb (E), Ab, Bbb (A), Db
D: D, E, F, A, Bb, D
D#/Eb: D#, E# (F), F#, A#, B, D# / Eb, F, Gb, Bb, Cb (B), Eb
E: E, F#, G, B, C, E
F: F, G, Ab, C, Db, F
F#/Gb: F#, G#, A, C#, D, F# / Gb, Ab, Bbb (A), Db, Ebb (D), Gb
G: G, A, Bb, D, Eb, G
G#/Ab: G#, A#, B, D#, E, G# / Ab, Bb, Cb (B), Eb, Fb (E), Ab
A: A, B, C, E, F, A
A#/Bb: A#, B# (C), C#, E# (F), F#, A# / Bb, C, Db, F, Gb, Bb
B: B, C#, D, F#, G, B

Intervals: 1, 2, 3b, 5, 6b
Semi-notes: 2 - 1 - 4 - 1 - 4
Formula: Whole, Half, Quadra-step, Half, Quadra-step