Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Tairaku wrote:

Until Herr Meister Singer weighs in here's something from Riley Lee:

"I have found that inlays do very little to the texture of the sound. I've broken inlays and the flutes played no differently. I've played on flutes with the inlay totally knocked out. The sound was a little bit fuzzier; that's all."

Dr. Lee doesn't count.

Tairaku wrote:

very few vintage flutes have no utaguchi inlays.

I believe that is because of the outstanding practicality of the utaguchi inlay. It seems that once they were invented, they must have caught on quickly because they spread all across Japan and seem to have been employed by everyone except amateur makers who didn't have the skill to make them. Generally here in Japan the shakuhachi that you do find with no utaguchi are outstandingly bad shakuhachi with an overall characteristically low level of craftsmanship. Notable exceptions to this are the shakuhachi made for Okuda Atsuya and his students, by the professional maker Murai Eigoro. Watazumi's idea was apparently "bamboo only", i.e. no utaguchi inlay, no urushi - just bamboo. I do not know Watazumi's reasons for this, but I guess it may have been either 1) philosophical or 2) so that less skill was required to make them.

Although Okuda did not study from Watazumi, he gets much of his music from listening to Watazumi's LPs. As he tries to follow Watazumi's style, he seems to also try to follow his style of instrument. This seems to be his reason for ordering no utaguchi from Murai, although some of them would still have urushi inside.

Ken the utaguchi design you show here, I have seen on older shakuhachi (as Brian said). Also the "Sogawa inlay" or "Kinya inlay" of Sogawa Kinya is more often called "Myoan", and is not uncommon on older shakuhachi.

Many of the older utaguchi inlay designs (and they varied greatly in the Edo period) covered the whole of the blowing edge. Even some Kinko designs. My guess is that they may have evolved at first as replacements for worn blowing edges. As the shakuhachi ages, the blowing edge, if only bamboo, commonly becomes less able to hold a clear edge and ends up with an uneven or rounded (or both) surface. I expect that someone back in history took the initiative of cutting out the damaged part and rebuiling the proper profile with another material. And I expect that it quickly became fashion to simply do this from the beginning, with a harder material that is less likely to wear than bamboo. Something harder and resistant to water. Commonly today that is buffalo horn.

20th century utaguchi inlays are quite standardized, with basically only 3 styles, Kinko, Tozan and Myoan. All 3 of these generally do not cover the whole blowing edge. They do however cover the important part of the blowing edge, which is the central part. And Tozan inlays cover more than most Kinko inlays.

So, this could be seen as a shift in emphasis from practicality to aesthetics. The diverse multitude of styles from the Edo period, mostly with entire or near-entire coverage of the "dip" of the blowing edge, to today's inlays with (albeit slightly) reduced coverage, and standardized design choices, which now act largely as identity symbols for school affiliation. However, while they may have evolved for practical reasons, I'm sure even in the Edo period there was an element of "cool" to them, and equally, today they still play an important functional rôle.

Ken you may be interested that you are not alone in your quest to find an utaguchi that will not cause problems of cracking right on the blowing edge. Araki Kodo III also researched into this (you are in good company!) and patented a new utaguchi design (must have been around 100 years ago) with this in mind. If you imagine, a ring of material inserted into the top of the bamboo so that there is no join at all, so the whole of the "dip" of the blowing edge is covered, as in your design, but even the back too. Like a lining for the top sun of the bore. Shakuhachi with this inlay are very rare. I have seen only 3. Very difficult to make.

Last edited by Justin (2009-11-11 23:13:14)

Tairaku wrote:

Gudo Ishibashi makes some of the best jinashi flutes in Japan today and he puts utaguchi inlays in some of his short flutes (short in this case means 2.4 and shorter) and omits them on his long ones. Some of his short flutes also have no inlays.

Yamaguchi Shugetsu offers various utaguchi options (Kinko, Myoan or none) and also the option of having a raw bore with no urushi.

Interestingly these are all related to each other. Ishibashi (as you know Brian, but for the benefit of those who don't) studied under 2 of Watazumi's students. So his shakuhachi based on Watazumi's "hochiku" style are "only bamboo" - no inlay.

Yamaguchi Shugetsu got his ideas for jinashi from Murai Eigoro. These seem to be targeted mainly at Westerners, where there is some popularity of Okuda's style (made by Murai) and the association with Watazumi.

Tairaku wrote:

Justin wrote:

[ Araki Kodo III also researched into this (you are in good company!) and patented a new utaguchi design (must have been around 100 years ago) with this in mind. If you imagine, a ring of material inserted into the top of the bamboo so that there is no join at all, so the whole of the "dip" of the blowing edge is covered, as in your design, but even the back too. Like a lining for the top sun of the bore. Shakuhachi with this inlay are very rare. I have seen only 3. Very difficult to make.

Do you have any pics of this inlay? That would be a groove thang.

I have a shakuhachi here - it means uploading it to my site. As it happens I'm actually in the middle of making a Seien-ryu utaguchi (yet another style! that of Fudaiji) - when I get that work done I'll see if I can take the time to upload pictures of Kodo III's special style.

Last edited by Justin (2009-11-12 00:58:39)

For some people the world is so simple and fixed and can be explained in a sentence or two   Let me add a few things as the world is a very complex place:

Out of the 60 or so honkyoku Okuda Atsuya has memorised and is teaching, only 4 (according to my knowledge) have been transcribed from Watazumi LPs. That is Betsuden Shika no Tōne, Sō Shingetsu, Shingetsu Chō and Jyakunen. Most of Okuda's other pieces are the result of careful study of many old scores of different Myōan traditions. A large part of the material Okuda has based his studies on he received from Okamoto Chikugai.

Okuda's instruments were born out of a collaboration with Murai Eigorō. Murai heard Okuda on TV (This must be something like 30 years ago) and went to meet him only a few days later. Then began an intense collaboration between the two men in order 'to create a shakuhachi that suited Okuda's unique playing style' as Murai has expressed many times during our many hours of conversation. So the jinashi shakuhachi of Murai was not only a creation of him alone - but born out of collaboration. Murai also told me that he had long wanted to create jinashi shakuhachi - but needed inspiration and someone that would appreciate them. Both Okuda and Murai express that they never thought their relationship would become this intense and creative. Murai is a very fine man with a very little ego. I find this selfless way of trying to adapt his instruments to one player's style of playing interesting. He has not only supported Okuda with his shakuhachi making skills. One of Okuda's top students once destroyed all his shakuhachi in desperation over he couldn't reach his goals. Few days after Murai went to his home and gave him 3-4 shakuhachi so he could begin again. Murai has also given me quite a few shakuhachi to support my playing. He is a wonderful man.
The past 10 years Okuda has been making his own shakuhachi - a skill he has learned from Murai.

Ishibashi Gudō is a person who does not limit himself to one style. He has studied with several shakuhachi players (sorry can't remember most of them of the top of my head) including Jin Nyodo. He really has embodied many styles of playing and has had his hands on so many different instruments. Certainly a man of knowledge when it comes to shakuhachi.

Justin, I find your explanation about Yamaguchi Shūgetsu getting his jinashi ideas from Murai puzzling. The story Shūgetsu explained to me was that Riley Lee was visiting during Riley's fieldwork for his PhD. Shūgetsu had a long bamboo that he thought was not suitable for shakuhachi making when Riley suggested him to make a big shakuhachi out of that. He was sceptical but thought why not give it a try... and it worked. Shūgetsu told me that this first 'beginner's' success (his words) was highly influential in his further shakuhachi making process. He simply became a jinashi (jimori) nutcase (freely translated from a conversation). Shūgetsu met Murai and saw his shakuhachi for the first time in 2002 in New York. I was there and Shūgetsu has since confirmed this. I find Murai and Shūgetsu's jinashi shakuhachi a world apart.

Hi Kiku
I'm surprised to hear you downplaying the influence of Watazumi on Okuda. You yourself said:

according to Okuda himself, these [Watazumi and Okamoto Chikugai] are the two main influences on his playing and attitude to the shakuhachi.

Baring in mind that, that Okuda's (only?) teacher was a student of Watazumi, and the fact that the shakuhachi he ordered had no inlay and often no urushi even (Watazumi's characteristics), and the fact that he is or at least was refering to them as "hochiku", it would seem strange to think that Watazumi's hochiku ideas are not somehow connected here.

That is not to deny Murai's creativity or skill of course. In making any shakuhachi of any style, copying or adopting any characteristics of measurements or any of that, is only a tiny fraction of the work and can never by itself result in a good shakuhachi. Murai has many many years of shakuhachi making experience, and a great love of it. I think it's wonderful that he got together with Okuda. And I think Okuda is very lucky for that. The result is some great sounds! As I have said before, Murai is one of my favourite people and one of the kindest people I have met.

As for the connection to Shugetsu's style, this information came from Murai - however if this is incorrect, it must have been due to my misunderstanding.

Last edited by Justin (2009-11-12 09:22:39)

mmm

The Seien-ryu looks like a Kinko one that I made wrong sometime ago... I was finishing it when i saw the small curve on the bottom of the utaguchi...hehehehhe

Thanks for the pics Justin.

Tairaku wrote:

Justin wrote:

And here's the Seien-ryu (Fudaiji) utaguchi I've just finished making today:
http://justinshakuhachi.googlepages.com … aguchi.jpg

Very nice. Do you think the similarity to Kinko utaguchi is because of the relationship between Kinko and Seien-ryu?

Yes I believe so. Fudaiji after all was a daughter temple of the main Fuke temple in Edo (Tokyo) Ichigetsuji, headquarters (along with Reihoji) of the Kinko style, even though geographically it is closer to the Myoan temple in Kyoto.

Last edited by Justin (2009-11-12 22:27:52)

Kiku Day wrote:

I can't say for sure whether it is 5 pieces and not 4 that Okuda transcribed from Watazumi LPs.

Hi Kiku
So long as you're counting, you aught to check out Shin Kyorei too. And if Okuda got Tamuke from somewhere other than Yokoyama or Watazumi's LPs, I'd be interested to hear about it.

Kiku Day wrote:

Thus one informant's belief is not always enough and shouldn't really be quoted as the ultimate truth.

Wow. Now if we need more than one "informant" as a source before chatting about anything on a BBQ forum without having to say "this isn't necessarily the ultimate truth" every sentence, things are going to get a little tedious. On the other hand we could just chat in a friendly normal fashion, and offer opposing suggestions, ideas and information in a kindly way if there's something we don't agree with. How about that?

Justin wrote:

... Also the "Sogawa inlay" or "Kinya inlay" of Sogawa Kinya is more often called "Myoan", and is not uncommon on older shakuhachi.

Hi Justin,

Perhaps I can offer my perspective on this since I studied under Kinya.
For those who may not know what the Kinya inlay is. Here's a shot from his website:

Here's my 1.8 made with Kinya in 2003. I believe these two shapes are nearly identical. All of the Kinya's inlays look exactly like this.



Here are two recent repairs I worked on with missing Myoan inlays. The inlays were carved to fit the cavity left by the missing inlays.



These two are representative of the typical Myoan inlays I have come across. They are usually visually thicker from top to bottom. Kinya's design is thinner. I can see how the two can be mistaken.

The thing that was made very clear to me when I was studying shakuhachi in Japan was that everything shakuhachi related was about subtleties. One can see this played out in the different style of Kinko music. The non indoctrinated may not be able to hear the differences between the various Ryu.

Kinya is well established in the shakuhachi community and has an understanding of the subtle working ways of the shakuhachi world. Everyone, or most players, knows what a Myoan inlay looks like. My take on this is that Kinya designed his utaguchi to honor the Myoan music. Some may not see the difference but other more informed players can. This is something connoisseurs like to chew the fat on. It's sort of how the Kinko design and the Seien inlay you just made can look similar, to the point where even a shakuhachi making brother in Brazil commented on it as a Kinko inlay gone awry

Lorka wrote:

All art is influenced by other art.  This is a given. ...

Hi Lorka, I would agree that most practicing artists are influenced by art and life, but there is growing body of work known as Outsider art. This work is made by people from all walks of life, all over the globe, who organize materials to understand their world. They do not consider themselves artists.

Be well, Perry

Yungflutes wrote:

These two are representative of the typical Myoan inlays I have come across. They are usually visually thicker from top to bottom. Kinya's design is thinner. I can see how the two can be mistaken.

Does this thinner profile make it more, less or the same in terms of stability?

Calling X. Moran! What kind of utaguchi inlay does Knob-U-ryu™ have? Could you please post an example?

Hi Brian
I would say from Kanto (the wider area centred around present day Tokyo). Not sure exactly where within that region. Seems to be from the end of the Edo period, I would suggest.

Last edited by Justin (2009-11-14 00:07:25)