In the book Komusō Tani Kyōchiku (edited by Inagaki Ihaku, Komusō-kenkyū-kai 1986) Tani Kyōchiku reports some popular beliefs about the Shakuhachi and the Komusō which I present here. That's what happend to Kyōchiku near Ōmuta City in Fukuoka Prefecture: At that place I was called to stop by a young lady. The contrast between her and the coarse Komusō must have been a peculiar sight. "Sorry Mr. Komusō, but I have a little request." Turning around after having been called, I noticed that she was heavily pregnant and started blinking my eyes with surprise. "Yes, what can I do for you?", I answered, unintentionally becoming a little formal. She approached me with her enormous belly and said: "If you please." That had never before happened to me, and I was completely clueless. So I confessed: "To be honest, I'm not from here but have come from far away knowing nothing. Is something the matter?" "No, I would only ask you to stroke my