Lessons in Chichibu and Tokyo

Shakuhachi lessons at Tachikawa in Tokyo suburbs and in Chichibu (Chichibu Saitama prefecture in the mountainous countryside, 2 hours west of Tokyo) are going well. Kakizakai Sensei never runs out of wisdom and new things for me to learn and it is invaluable having high-frequency lessons concentrating on single pieces per lesson. Currently I am really trying to work on the embouchure thing that Yokoyama and his Kenshukan promote so ardently (for good reason) that produces round strong tone and flexibility for meri (lowered) pitches. Saturdays I go to the Tokyo lessons and Wednesday to Chichibu as research seminars have now ceased for the month of August for summer break. Even after practising several hours some days, the right sound is nowhere to be found. It is very difficult. The lesson in Chichibu (another tomorrow) also meant a welcome diversion into the scenic mountainous countryside by express train from Ikebukuro. The ride takes you quickly out through the sprawling suburbs to agricultural plots giving way to hillside, tea, rice and eventually mountains, occasional mining, steep embankments, mind-boggling retaining walls, groves of bamboo, rivers and steep valleys, shadowed on both sides by monster-sized mountains. Compared to Australian mountains that have lilting rounded contour often in the sandstone mountains, these were aggressively sheer rising sometimes at precipitous 80 degree angles beside the train and visibly crumbling and tumbling where mining has excavated into their sides. It is a completely different landscape from Tokyo and the Chichibu-Saitama National Park is renowned for its scenic trails and walking tours, a circuit of shrines and temples and pathways used for spiritual pilgrimages featuring many mountaintop shrines and views. I am sure that when I live there in November, I will be making a couple of these pilgrimages!





The first lesson I attended at Tachikawa had a serendipitous ending when I caught a 'mystery' bus (not the correct number but worth an experiment) and ended up in Hana-Koganei, a town that just happened to be celebrating its annual matsuri (festival) in flare, colour, noise and festivity with dancing, wheeling out huge odaiko and taiko drums into the streets that were closed for the ceremony. The striking thing about these festivals, most localities have one of some size, while Chichibu's is notoriously one of the most impressive, is that the whole community seriously engage in the activity. It must take weeks, even months for preparation. The taiko-players in Hana Koganei were professional but in many towns, the folk rehearse and prepare their playing. In this town, everybody looked harmonious in their matching outfits, some for dancers, some for carrying the portable shrine through the town, others for drumming and so on such that a real mass of colour and community was visible right down to details. People had clearly put a great deal of time into their appearances and costumes. Grandchildren, parents, grandparents were all involved, through processions, group dances, eating street food from little tents lining the side oft he village centre, painstakingly cooked skewers stretchy octopus, okonomiyaki pancakes, etc. Even family pets were dressed to comply and I was surprised by how many people brought along their dogs: why? Because it was so very loud with processional bells, gongs, transverse flutes of very bright piercing tone, maybe shinobue-like, the thundering taiko, at times concurrently and the chanting, frenzy of the cheerleaders and crowd pursuing the mobile shrine through the crowds, not to mention giggling shrieking children, the excitement of the crowd and it was generally so noisy for several hours - it must have been difficult or a little terrifying for the pets dragged along. This was my first experience of a matsuri and it was amazing to be swept up in the charged atmosphere and feel the energy of the taiko in its 'natural' or original context. It was exhilarating and really cohesive, primal.