Stubborn and Rich

On the 3rd of May 2024, Shimura Tetsu (Zenbō) 志村 哲　(禅保) Professor at The Osaka University of Fine Arts 大阪芸術大学 and one of the leading Shakuhachi Players and researchers of our time has published an article about Myōan Shakuhachi / Komusō Shakuhachi in the Nikkei Shinbun one of the major Japanese newspapers.

It is entitled “Stubborn and rich” (the online edition reads “Stubborn and fascinating”) and in his article he tells the story of how he became a Shakuhachi player in the first place even though in his youth he was intrigued by Western music (English Rock). It is - as you might imagine - a longer story and it is not my intention to summarise his whole story here.

“Stubborn and rich” is how he puts the essence of our music into a nutshell. The Komusō Shakuhachi is stubborn as it refuses to follow the changing taste of time. The world around us is getting faster, noisier, more efficient and more and more consumer oriented. Japan being by no means an exception but rather one of leaders of the trend.

In this ever accelerating world the classical original pieces (koten-honkyoku 古典本曲) of the Komusō Shakuhachi remain unchanged and stubborn like the rocks in the waves at the shores of Japan.

Needless to say that the Shakuhachi itself has changed a lot during the modernisation of Japan. Professor Shimura mentions the “trauma” of the traditional instrument when it turned out that it was not suitable to accompany the Japanese zither (koto 箏) in playing the tune Haru no umi 春の海 in 1929.

After that a lot of effort has gone into the “enhancement” of the Shakuhachi and a modern Shakuhachi flute is now capable of playing any kind of music. That is no doubt one of the reasons for its international popularity.

Those who consider themselves Komusō or who are inspired by their heritage stubbornly refuse to play the “enhanced” version of the Shakuhachi with its perfect pitch and standardised length.

The traditional Shakuhachi known as jinashi 地無し does not easily play in perfect pitch, it is simply not made to do so. The richness of the stubborn jinashi is found in the quality and depth of every single tone it produces. And that is what you are looking for when making one.

It may take years of practice to come to terms with a new jinashi and each one is different. It requires you to surrender to its personality and to stay forever flexible. There are no final answers. Adjusting oneself to the natural shape and the particulars of a certain Shakuhachi instead of adjusting the flute to oneself according to the rules of ergonomics is one other proof of stubbornness. Maybe it is necessary to a bit stubborn yourself if you want to play it.

But caution is advised, Professor Shimura mentions that in the continuing attempt to play a certain very large Shakuhachi he hurt his back badly and was hospitalised. There are limits to what stubbornness can achieve.