ShakuhachI End blown bamboo flute with four holes in the front and one hole in the back. It was used as a form of Buddhist meditation. In the Meianji temple in Kyoto, monks used to play these pieces as part of their training. The monk’s philosophy can be defined by the words “Ichion Joubutsu,” which means, “a single note to reach enlightenment or Buddhahood.” It was used later in court music ensemble as accompaniment to the koto and the shamisen (a three stringed banjo-like instrument). Its presence in popular music has increased and it can now be heard in a wide range of genres. Believed to have come to Japan from China and perhaps India along with Buddhism, it was then a six-hole instrument. Koto Semi cylindrical zither with 13 strings. Each string has a movable bridge, which allows different tuning combinations. The strings are plucked with small picks on the thumb and the first two fingers of the right hand, while the left raises the pitch or changes the tone. The earliest koto (yamagoto or wagon) had only five strings and was about three feet long. A sixth string was added in the Nara period (710–794). The 13-string koto is modeled on the Chinese Zheng and is approximately six feet long. It also dates from the 8th century and could be found in the court music ensembles. A number of new schools of solo Koto developed in the late 15th century. Fue Bamboo flute similar in form to the piccolo. There are different versions of it, the matsuribue is used in festivals and the shinobue or utabue is used to play folk songs. A variation of this flute is found throughout Asia. Noh theatre also uses a type of fue called the Nohkan. |
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Taikoza uses a wide variety of instruments in its performances. These include taikos of various sizes, ranging from two to six feet, depending on the venue. Other instruments include the shakuhachi, fue and koto. Hand held percussion instruments including the chappas and kane are also used. Taikoza offers instruction on all percussion instruments. Private lessons are also offered on fue and shakuhachi. Taiko Roughly translated means big drum. It generally describes a particular kind of Japanese drum that is hollowed out from a solid piece of keyaki (zelkova wood) and skinned by stretching and tacking a rawhide over each end of the body. The word applies to other types of drums and to the art of Japanese drumming itself. Fifth-century clay dolls holding drums and seventh-century poems and paintings are evidence that Taiko has been an integral part of Japanese culture for the past fifteen centuries. It is said that Taiko was used to drive away the plague and evil spirits. In the Shinto religion, it was used to call upon and entertain the gods, or kami, and in Japanese Buddhism, its sound was the manifestation of the voice of Buddha. Taiko could be found in imperial court orchestras, Kabuki, Noh theater, on the battlefield and in rice fields. It originated in China, where it still bears the same form as in Japan, although the music played on it is different. Taiko is still featured in various festivals throughout Japan but the art form in its present manifestation is a recent phenomenon. Modern groups have blended tradition with a wide array of percussion instruments and rhythms creating a dynamic art form through a powerful synthesis of sound and motion. All instruments are available for purchase through Taikoza
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Top to bottom: taiko maker; nagado-daiko, shime-daiko; okedo; percussion instruments, chappas and kane; fues; bachi (wooden sticks used for playing taiko) pictures are courtesy of Asano Taiko |
