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Japan update
Farewelcome
Japan Update 10
Summer Shakuhachi Camp at the International Shakuhachi Training Center, Bisei, Okayama August 22-26, 2001
I took the overnight bus from Shinjuku on Wednesday night and arrived in Kurashiki bus terminal the next morning at 8:30 am. The bus was surprisingly comfortable and pleasant. I love the feeling of travelling to new places on the road of shakuhachi. I walked to Kurashiki J.R. Train Station and took the local train to Shin Kurashiki Station where I was to meet Furuya, Matama, and Kakizakai sensei at 2:30 pm. I had six hours to kill so I just sat in the Station and read. It was quite hot and humid so it was best to keep still and conserve my energy.
I pondered about my life up to now. Everyone has so many challenges and pain in life. Why are some more blessed than others? To be on this beautiful path of shakuhachi and befriending all these wonderful people in my life, I felt like crying for joy. And I wondered how Yokoyama sensei feels now that he can't play shakuhachi after a lifetime of immersion in the Art. I wondered how he's coping with it.
At 2:30 pm the three senseis and two young volunteers arrived at the station and we were met by Mrs. Yokoyama Katsuya who drove us to Yokoyama sensei's home in the deep country side of Bisei Town. Through winding mountain valley roads we travelled enjoying the changing scenery of gorges, rivers, oceans of rice paddies and traditional Japanese houses. As we drove we all talked and I got acquainted with Yokoyama sensei's wife who struck me as a very loving and sensitive woman. I immediately sensed a connection with her.
We arrived at the Yokoyama residence about an hour later and realized what a magnificent dream I'm living. I never imagined I would enter the home of Yokoyama sensei, whom I consider as a great spirit in my life. The gravity of this experience is almost beyond words and I am still trying to understand how this all came to be. His house is quite large and spacious with various art objects placed around the house. It seemed to be a bit disheveled and had a feeling of freedom and transiency about it, like letting one's hair down after a long day. We made our way into the guest room were we all sat around a circular table. A few minutes later Yokoyama sensei entered the room and slowly made his way to the sofa chair at the head of the table. He said his body wasn't so good, but his spirit was as vibrant as ever. I was very moved that despite his physical condition, he still maintained his sharp sense of humour and never once did he bring anyone down or said anything negative about his condition. Very great teaching. I got reacquainted with Yokoyama Sensei and we enjoyed the coffee, tea, sweets, and delicious corn on the cob served by by Mrs. Yokoyama. Afterwards, the three senseis and volunteer staff headed to the Kenshukan just a few minutes from Yokoyama sensei's house.
The Kenshukan is an old school house that was transformed into a seminar hall by Yokoyama sensei. We took the next several hours cleaning up all the rooms, dusting, vaccuuming, sweeping, wiping, and arranging all the tables and chairs for the workshop. When we were done, we all had dinner together in the kitchen then it was practice time. For the next several hours I watched and listened in awe as Furuya, Matama, and Kakizakai practiced. Their level of playing and excitement for shakuhachi is so high I was moved. In the shakuhachi world, Yokoyama's sound and style appeals to me the most and these disciples of Yokoyama embodied his teachings so closely and maintain a such a great respect for him, I was deeply moved. I felt a deep kinship with them, which is reciprocated.
After practice, we took showers and had a midnight drink, relaxing before bed. Hanging with these spirits made my heart soar.
The next morning was spent cleaning and practicing more. Then after lunch we made another visit to Yoyoyama sensei's house where I gave him a small interview to pick his brain about shakuhachi playing. The following is a summary of the interview. Thanks to Kakizakai sensei for helping with translating.
Al, Yokoyama Sensei, and Kakizakai Sensei
Q: How should a beginner approach shakuhachi?
A: One should create their own philosophy and perception about shakuhachi playing.
Q: What do you do about hand problems in shakuhachi playing?
A: Do a proper warm up and stop when you feel tired.
Q: How do you memorize honkyoku?
A: Practice. Singing is important as well in helping memorize.
Q: Is a teacher important in learning shakuhachi?
A: Yes. You need a teacher to show you the many nuances in playing a particular style. Also, listening to good shakuhachi music is important in learning.
Q: What do you think of improvisation?
A: One needs to train in improvisation. I used to practice constantly everyday by listening to music on the radio and improvising with it. It's like saving money. The more skill you save by practicing the better you get at improvisation.
Q: What's the relationship between Zen and shakuhachi?
A: For me they are one and the same. When I play I think about Zen. Shakuhachi, music, philosohpy, and Zen are all the same. But everyone is different. Many of my top students have different ways than me. Just sing from the heart.
Q: How has Watazumi-do influenced you?
A: In my opinion, he was the best player ever. Due to my efforts in recording his music, he expanded the world of honkyoku in an unprecedented way.
Q: What are some important points in shakuhachi expression?
A: The most important feeling in playing is like the final expression in a haiku poem. If you change one thing in a haiku poem, the whole meaning changes. Muraiki is everything and nothing. If muraiki is only an effective sound, it doesn't work.
Q: Should one try to be as physically still as possible while playing honkyoku?
A: I think so. But Fukuda Rando and Watazumi sensei both had dynamic body movement when they played.
Q: What about MA and TAMEH?
A: Now, that's very difficult. Ma is the relationship between two things. Tameh is a very individual expression. That's all I can say now.
Q: What's better to learn first, honkyoku or sankyoku?
A: Whatever one likes. Honkyoku is technically the most difficult kind of shakuhachi music.
Q: What kind of hand exercises do you do?
A: For example, everywhere I go I excercise the ring finger and index finger of my left hand (my top hand), by doing tapping excercises; like when you do korokoro, slow to fast.
Q: Should we study Western music theory?
A: Yes. Your world will increase from it.
After I interviewed Yokoyama sensei, we went back to the Kenshukan and greeted the participants. About 40 people in all showed up. I was surprised and happy to see Dan Ribble again. He came up all the way from Kochi to attend and we had a great time catching up with eachother and practicing honkyoku side by side. At 3:00 we all broke up into groups. The workshops began with the study of: Takiotoshi, Sanya, and Koden Sugomori. The workshops went until 6pm.
Al and Dan in the Kenshukan
After dinner was the student concert in the main hall. Yokoyama sensei attended to give us advice about our playing. I was to play "Yamagoe" and I was really nervous even though I knew this piece as my own body. First, the three teachers played the technically demanding piece, Kanae, by Matsumoto Masao which was amazing to witness. Then I was up. I was a bit tense. I closed my eyes and as I played the piece, time seemed to slow down as I concentrated on my sound and fingers and breath. I thought I would surely make a mistake, but when I finished the piece, I knew I played it well. The MC asked me to say a few words but I had nothing to say. Then Yokoyama sensei stood up and praised me which I felt I didn't deserve since I was expecting words on how I could improve my playing. Nonetheless, it sure was encouraging! Dan Ribble played a beautiful "Tamuke", and others played "Shika no Tone", "Honshirabe", "Shoganken Reibo", and some modern duets.
After the student performances, the night was the time for getting to know eachother, and everyone got into various groups to either practice or talk about shakuhachi. My favorite room was where a bunch of us got into a big circle with sakeh to drink and their shakuhachis to share and compare. It's really a great and fun learning experience talking to everyone and playing different flutes from different makers.
The next morning after breakfast was workshops again. In addition to learning honkyoku, we all learned a piece with three shakuhachi parts, Fudo #1, by Kineya Seiho, and an "orchestral" version of Kuroda Bushi which included kotos.
The workshops ended around 5 pm and we all headed to the main ampitheatre 10 minutes walk from the Kenshukan and everyone had bento there. Then we had our rehearsal with kotos joining us for some of the pieces. At 8 o'clock the concert started with Yokoyama sensei attending. The show was such a wonderful experience for everyone. Afterwards the volunteers rushed back to the Kenshukan to get the place ready for the final enkai. At the enkai when everyone was jovial from the drink, Kaki-sensei told me that someone requested I play didigeridoo for everyone. Isaka-san brought his didgeridoo which he procured from Australia and gave it to me to play. Furuya sensei told me to take my shirt off so I could look more like a real aborigine. So I did. I stood on top of a chair and proceeded to play a 10 minute didgeridoo improvised piece which everyone enjoyed. Afterwards, several lined up and wanted to try to blow the didge and attempt to circular breath which was very fun and interesting.
At one point, Mende-san from Hiroshima brought up a very interesting topic which was sparked by my performance of Yamagoe: In honkyoku playing, should one move or try to be as physically still as possble; or let one's natural bodily movement manifest ? Mende said that my performance would improve much if I stilled my body. Then another fellow player remarked that it was unnatural to try to keep still, that one should naturally express one's natural physicality when playing music. Later I asked the senseis about this and each one didn't have any qualms about moving while playing honkyoku, especially for a piece like Yamagoe, which requires a lot of energy and dynamism.
On Sunday morning after breakfast, everyone left for home. After the volunteers and teachers cleaned up all the rooms we all went to Yokoyama sensei's house one last time to close the circle. Just as in the begining, Mrs. Yokoyama served us cakes, coffee, and tea. I asked Yokoyama sensei more questions about his life then thanked him deeply.
We took a taxi-van back to Shin Kurashiki station where we all bid eachother farewell. Before going to the bus station, I visited the old part of town where I discovered some beautiful Bizen-yaki pottery shops and bought som nice pieces to take back to Sandra in Vancouver.
Next summer after the Boulder summer camp in the Colorado, Kenshukan is planning to come to Vancouver for a performance and workshop on their way back to Japan. Please come by and join us in Beautiful Vancouver for a wonderful shakuhachi experience!
On September 2, I joined the master shakuhachi maker and player, Sogawa Kinya (also an old student of Yokoyama sensei and Tamai Chikusen) and his wife Laurie Kazsas (old student of Aoki Reibo) for a honkyoku performance at Koku park near Tokorozawa which was wonderful. The performance started with the eight of us playing "Yobi Take Uke Take" in a circle. Then each of us played one honkyoku each. Then the second half Sogawa-san and I played a solo on other instruments then all of us got again for one last improvised jam session on various percussion and wind instruments, which was quite mesmerizing. Laurie was recently bestowed the honor of being the first person and first woman in history to teach shakuhachi at a university in Budapest, Hungary.
Sogawa Kinya
On September 12, Christopher Yohmei and I went up to Akita prefecture to play at the music festival for a Jr. Highschool. We played the pieces, Sokaku Reibo (Tsuru no Sugomori), Shika no Tone, Sanya, Osaka komoriuta, Hama no Chidori, and Take, by Yamamoto Hozan. Christopher had the 600 Jr. Highschool students spellbound that afternoon with his eloquent, flawless Japanese, Komuso outfit and beautiful playing. Christopher will be publishing the English translation of his book, "Shakuhachi Odyssey", under Kodansha which will be coming out in the next year or so. It won top prize in a Japanese literary contest last year. He let me read the manuscript and I must say, it is a very deep and wonderful book describing Christopher's 30 years in Japan following his shakuhachi path. A must read for all shakuhachi players, enthusiasts, and students of Japanese culture and art.
On September 20, I visited Yokoyama sensei's dojo in Nakano, Tokyo.
On September 22, I received my teaching license from Kenshukan.
September 30/October 1, I will attended Christopher Yohmei's and Tanaka Yukio's (my Biwa teacher) performance of Toru Takemitsu's November Steps, in Tokyo.
October 2, I will be returning to Vancouver, Canada to proceed with my studies of shakuhachi with Hoshi Bonchiku and to begin the Bamboo In project. These past couple years have been some of the most enlightening, beautiful and moving experiences of my life. I'm sad to leave, but very happy to return to Canada again. I hope you enjoyed my sharing of a little part of my shakuhachi experience in Japan.
Thank you again, and may peace be your guide,
Al
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