Kazue Sawai (沢井 一恵, Sawai Kazue, born 1941 in Kyoto[1]) is a Japanese koto player noted for her performance of contemporary classical music and free improvisation.
Sawai was born in Kyoto in 1941, and began studying koto, at the age of eight, with Michio Miyagi.
As a soloist, as well as with her koto ensemble, she has performed and worked with John Cage, Toshi Ichiyanagi, Yuji Takahashi, Ayuo, Roberto Carnevale, Sofia Gubaidulina, David Behrman, Carl Stone, and many other composers.
Sawai operates a school in Japan, where she teaches both Japanese and foreign students.
Her students include Michiyo Yagi, Elizabeth Falconer, Shoko Hikage, and Mei Han.