ChikumeishaEU
Chikumeisha in Europe
Chikumeisha is the guild that was started by Yamaguchi Shirō, and is today synonymous with the art of Yamaguchi Gorō.
Chikumeisha Europe consists of local branches in Europe of the Chikumeisha guild of Kinko-ryū Shakuhachi (Japanese only).
Gunnar Jinmei Linder is head of the Scandinavian Branch, but there are other players in Europe who studied within the framework of Chikumeisha, for example Michael Soumei Coxall, who is head of the UK Branch. For Chikumeisha UK, please contact Michael Soumei Coxall
In September 2018 the Chikumeisha Board officially acknowledged the Chikumeisha Shakuhachi Lesson Center in France (竹盟社のフランス尺八教場), at which Gunnar Jinmei Linder is the main instructor.
For inquiries, please contact the office, and check out the Facebook page
It is possible to sign up for lessons, both in Europe and in Japan. Please send an e-mail to Gunnar Jinmei Linder if you are interested or have any general inquiries.
Background
The Chikumeisha (竹盟社) guild was established in the late Taishō period (大正時代), originally as an umbrella organisation of shakuhachi players in Japan. In 1921 (Taishō 10) it comprised 43 famous shakuhachi teachers from all over Japan.
Eventually, this umbrella organisation did not hold together, and Yamaguchi Shirō (山口四郎, 1885–1963) broke out and eventually made the Chikumeisha his own guild. He was succeeded by his son, Yamaguchi Gorō (山口五郎, 1933–1999). Since Yamaguchi Gorō passed away in 1999, the Chikumeisha has been run as an organisation, with a board of elected trustees in charge.
Presently the chairperson is Mizuno Kohmei (水野香盟), who succeeded Tanaka Kōmei (田中康盟), who in turn succeeded Matsumura Hōmei (松村蓬盟).
Chikumeisha head office used to be at the house of Yamaguchi Gorō, in Tokyo, about 10 minutes walk from JR Yoyogi Station.
From 2019 however, the lesson center (keikoba) in Tokyo moved to Nakano Ward, and the administrative office moved to Kunitachi, in the western parts of Tokyo.
Keikoba:
2-50-9, Nakano-ku, Chūō
164-0011 Tokyo
Pieces covered
Kinko-ryū Chikumei-sha Shihan License
琴古流竹盟社師範免状
Below you find a list of pieces covered in the Chikumeisha license repertoire. They are divided in five levels: the first four levels consist of ensemble pieces, in contrast to the basic or fundamental repertoire of honkyoku (本曲) these pieces are referred to as gaikyoku or "outer pieces" (外曲). As they are performed in ensemble with koto and shamisen (in some constellation) they are also commonly referred to as sankyoku (三曲) – pieces for three (instruments). Another term used relates to the genres of pieces: jiuta-sōkyoku (地歌箏曲), where the jiuta are pieces originally from Kamigata (present day Kyoto/Osaka area) with the shamisen as the lead instrument, and the term sōkyoku denotes pieces for koto. Yet another term is kokyoku (古曲), which translates directly to "old pieces" even though they are not necessarily older than the honkyoku.
The first four levels constitutes a basic study material of a total of seventy-two pieces. Level five, the Shihan level, consists of the thirty-six Kinko-ryū honkyoku. In total the study repertoire thus consists of 108 pieces.
It should be remembered that the pieces are used as etudes for those who venture into the diploma system. It is important to build a repertoire as one learns more techniques, and applies the performance techniques to new pieces in slightly different contexts.
Pieces marked with * are what I regard as pieces that are especially important for the development of technical skills and musical understanding.
Gaikyoku
Sho-den 初伝 (Basics + 12 pieces)
Basic study material, kyōhon (教本) or Beginner's Guide for Kinko-ryū Shakuhachi (available in English and French, and with a translation in Greek underway) *
- Kurokami (黒髪) *
- Tsuru no Koe (鶴の声) *
- Rokudan no Shirabe (六段之調) *
- Shin-Takasago (新高砂) *
- Mittsu no Keshiki (三つの景色)
- Ōuchiyama (大内山)
- Chidori no Kyoku (千鳥の曲) *
- Yachiyo-jishi (八千代獅子) *
- Hachidan no Shirabe (八段の調べ)
- Midare (Midare Rinzetsu) (乱輪舌)
- Yūgao (夕顔) *
- Cha no Yu Ondo (茶湯音頭) *
Chū-den 中伝 (30 pieces)
- Sue no Chigiri (末の契り) *
- Keshi no Hana (芥子の花) *
- Kaji-makura (楫枕) *
- Mama no Kawa (儘の川) *
- Echigo-jishi (越後獅子)
- Shin-Musume Dōjō-ji (新娘道成寺) *
- Ōmi-hakkei (近江八景) (Yamada-ryū) *
- Usu no Koe (臼の声) (Yamada-ryū) *
- Miyako no Haru (都の春) (Yamada-ryū)
- Matsukaze (松風) (Yamada-ryū) *
- Saga no Aki (嵯峨の秋)
- Aki no Koto no Ha (秋の言葉)
- Haru no Kyoku (春の曲) *
- Natsu no Kyoku (夏の曲)
- Aki no Kyoku (秋の曲) *
- Fuyu no Kyoku (冬の曲)
- Kaede no Hana (楓の花) *
- Enoshima no Kyoku (江ノ島曲) (Yamada-ryū) *
- Kotobuki Kurabe (寿競べ) (Yamada-ryū) *
- Chikubushima (竹生島) (Yamada-ryū) *
- Sumiyoshi (住吉) (Yamada-ryū)
- Tamagawa (玉川) *
- Shiki no Nagame (四季之眺) *
- Iso-chidori (磯千鳥) *
- Azuma-jishi (吾妻獅子)
- Okayasu-ginuta (岡康砧) (Yamada-ryū)
- Shunkan (俊寛) (Yamada-ryū)
- Suma no Arashi (須磨の嵐) (Yamada-ryū)
- Meiji Shōchikubai (明治松竹梅)
- Shōchikubai (松竹梅)
Oku-den 奥伝 (20 pieces)
- Fune no Yume (舟の夢) *
- Sono no Aki (園の秋) *
- Ima-Komachi (今小町) *
- Tama no Utena (玉の台)
- Konkai (吼歳)
- Ukifune (浮船)
- Onoe no Matsu (尾上の松) *
- Wakana (若菜) *
- Nasuno (那須野) (Yamada-ryū) *
- Chō no Yume (蝶の夢) (Yamada-ryū)
- Nebiki no Matsu (根曳の松) *
- Hagi no Tsuyu (萩の露)
- Sake (酒), also known as Sasa no Tusyu (笹の露) *
- Miyama-jishi (御山獅子) *
- Uji-meguri (宇治巡) *
- Saigyō-zakura (西行桜)
- Yoyo no Hoshi (夜々の星) *
- Yūbe no Kumo (夕辺の雲)
- Nana-Komachi (七小町) *
- Chiyo no Uguisu (千代の鶯)
Jun-Shihan 準師範 (10 pieces)
- Sakura-gari (桜狩) (Yamada-ryū) *
- Kogō no Kyoku (小督の曲) (Yamada-ryū) *
- Yuya (熊野) (Yamada-ryū)
- Chōkonka no Kyoku (長恨歌曲) (Yamada-ryū)
- Zangetsu (残月) *
- Aoyagi (青柳)
- Tōru (融)
- Yaegoromo (八重衣) *
- Yottsu no Tami (四つの民)
- Mitsuyama (三津山)
* Other popular but not included pieces
Banzai-jishi (万歳獅子)
Kiku no Tsuyu (菊の露)
Naniwa-jishi (難波獅子)
Sodekōro (袖香炉)
Sato no Haru (里の春)
Yuki (雪)
(It should be noted that it does not mean that other pieces than those included in the lists above are not performed. Basically, all pieces in any of the jiuta-sōkyoku lineages are part of the repertoire, and a learner it supposed to get aquantinted with other pieces as well.)
According to the research conducted by Kubota Satoko, there are more than 900 pieces that are being performed still today, including compositions up to the second half of the 20th century. The oldest pieces reaches back to the early 17th century. Compositions after the Meiji restoration (1868) constitute approximately some 3–400 of these 900+ pieces, which means that there are at least some 500+ pieces from the Edo period that are being performed today.
Honkyoku
The Kinko-ryū honkyoku repertoire consists traditionally of 36 pieces, but the actual number depends on how you count. "Banshiki-chō" was performed as a prelude, and "Ikkan-ryū Kokū-kaede" is an alternative part to "Kokū Reibo" in the Ikkan style. Maybe they ought not to be counted as individual pieces, evan though they are performed as such today. "Akebono Sugagaki" is a piece with uncertain origin, and it is not mentioned in Edo-period texts. Furthermore, "Tsuki no Kyoku" was composed by Araki Kodō II, and it should not be counted as part of the older repertoire. Furthermore, piece 37 in the below list "Kotobuki Shirabe" was originally part of "Hi-fu-mi Hachi-gaeshi no Shirabe", but is now performed as a separate honkyoku.
There are also three ‘outer’ honkyoku, which are not part of the Chikumeisha Shihan repertoire. They are of course performed, and not seldom as renkan.
Shihan 師範
NB! "Hi-fu-mi Hachi-gaeshi no Shirabe" is usually played in an abbreviated version. The last piece in the below list – "Kotobuki Shirabe" – is actually a middle section of the full version of "Hi-fu-mi Hachi-gaeshi no Shirabe".
- Hi-fu-mi Hachi-gaeshi no Shirabe (一二三鉢返之調)
- Taki-otoshi no Kyoku (瀧落の曲)
- Akita Sugagaki (秋田菅垣)
- Koro Sugagaki (転菅垣)
- Kyūshū Reibo (九州鈴慕)
- Shizu no Kyoku (志図の曲)
- Kyō Reibo (京鈴慕)
- Mukaiji Reibo (霧海箎鈴慕)
- Kokū Reibo (虚空鈴慕)
- Ikkan-ryū Kokū-kaede (一閑流虚空替手)
- Banshiki-chō (盤渉調)
- Shin no Kyorei (真虚霊)
- Kinsan Kyorei (琴三虚霊)
- Yoshiya Reibo (吉野鈴慕)
- Yūgure no Kyoku (夕暮の曲)
- Sakae-jishi (栄獅子)
- Uchikae Kyorei (打替虚霊)
- Igusa Reibo (葦草鈴慕)
- Izu Reibo (伊豆鈴慕)
- Reibo-nagashi (鈴慕流)
- Sōkaku Reibo (巣鶴鈴慕)
- Sanya Sugagaki (三谷菅垣)
- Shimotsuke Kyorei (下野虚霊)
- Meguro-jishi (目黒獅子)
- Ginryū Kokū (吟龍虚空)
- Sayama Sugagaki (狭山菅垣)
- Sagari-ha no Kyoku (下り葉の曲
- Nami-ma Reibo (波間鈴慕
- Shika no Tōne (鹿の遠音)
- Hōshōsu (鳳将雛)
- Akebono Shirabe (曙調)
- Akebono Sugagaki (曙菅垣)
- Ashi no Shirabe (芦の調)
- Kotoji no Kyoku (厂音柱の曲)
- Kinuta Sugomori (砧巣籠)
- Tsuki no Kyoku (月の曲)
- Kotobuki Shirabe (寿調)
‘Outer’ honkyoku (not part of the Shihan repertoire)
- Azuma no Kyoku (吾妻の曲)
- Kumoi-jishi (雲井獅子)
- Sugagaki (菅垣)
