SHAKUHACHI

The Japanese bamboo flute

It’s in the 6th century that we can find manuscripts of the bamboo flutes showing its use. In the 7^th century, the bamboo flute belonged to the instruments used during the representations given at the court, music known under the name of Gagaku.

Diplomatic and cultural exchanges between Chinese continent and Japan  being common, we can think that this flute was introduced in Japan with other musical instruments that were intended to give entertainments at the court (Gagaku; court music). This flute more known under the name of Gagaku Shakuhachi was used during representations of Gagaku up to the 9^th century then it was taken off the orchestra during the reform of music.  

Shôsôin, the House of the treasures of the Tôdaiji temple (known for its great Buddha) preserved 8 of these flutes. On the 8 flutes, only 5 are in bamboo. The 3 others are made of jade, ivory and stone. These 3 flutes were carved in order to represent the nodes of the bamboo.

A 9th Gagaku Shakuhachi is also preserved at the national museum of Tokyo, and would have belonged to the emperor Shôtoku Taishi (574-622). Shôtoku Taishi was recognized for his knowledge and love of music.

It is in the 13th century that Shakuhachi of the Fuke sect was introduced by the Grand Master Hottô. Shakuhachi was then considered not as a musical instrument but as a religious instrument.

This Buddhist sect opened at its origin to people wishing to enter the sect, accepted later only the members born from the noble class of the warriors, the Samurai.

These warrior monks called Komuso (虚無僧 monks of Emptiness), were itinerant monks.

At the end of Edo government, number of people not belonging to the class of the warriors put on the clothes of Komusô for various reasons. These impostors played popular pieces not belonging to the traditional repertory of the Fuke sect.  

With Meiji restoration (1868), in 1871, Fuke sect was banned by the new regime in place because of its implication and its active role in the government of Tokugawa.  

Thereafter, recitals in public with three instruments (Sankyoku: Shakuhachi, Koto, and Shamisen) were privileged to the practice in solo. It is as from this time that Shakuhachi was democratized in the middle-class of the society via the recitals given in public.  

The tradition and the teaching from Master to disciple of the Fuke sect despite continued to be transmitted through some grand Masters like Miyakawa Nyozan (宮川如山), Kobayashi Shizan (小林紫山), Okazaki Meido (岡崎明道), Katsuura Shozan (勝浦正山), Takahashi Kûzan (高橋空山), and today Fujiyoshi Etsuzan (藤由越山), but remain limited because of its elitist and secret character.  

These genius instrumentalists while preserving the heritage they had received, opened new horizons to Shakuhachi to allow it to take a new musical dimension.  

With Meiji era (1868-1912), some members of the Fuke Shakuhachi sect around Kyôto decided to continue their practice openly and the friendly association of the Myôan Temple was created in 1883 (name drawing its origins from the Myôan temple of the Fuke sect located at Kyôto). The teaching pieces are mainly those which were transmitted to the Myôan temple. This association, more known nowadays under the name of school Myôan-ryû (明暗流  also named vulgarly Meian-ryû) is often studied by the members of the schools Kinko and Tozan who seek to approach the original parts which are not taught any more in their style.