Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Gerry · 2008-02-02 22:16:30

Has anyone in Japan had a look at this story in the March issue of the men's magazine "Jitsuwa Knuckles"?

http://www4.ocn.ne.jp/~misty/topic.jituwa-knuckles.html

They only give you this summary on line:

自我を解き放つ魔笛　半僧半俗の尺八奏者　虚無僧
(jiga o hodoki hanatsu mabue hansou hanzoku no shakuhachi sousha komusou)

Which reads something like " Komuso, half-priest/ half-worldly shakuhachi players free themselves with a magic (/demon/witch) flute" or, translated into Googlish, "Magic Flute unleash the bamboo flute player in the semi-profane priest Komuso half".

I bring it up because of the dramatic manga-like illustration on the cover, and to maybe reanimate that interesting thread about how the shakuhachi is perceived in Japan today. Others have noted that it isn't seen particularly as a spiritual instrument, and this article might underscore that point - in that it seems to be trying to reintroduce this spiritual side of the shakuhachi to the Japanese Maxim crowd.
If it is just reintroducing the story of the komuso, that in itself is interesting - I can't believe that the image has become so obscure in the popular imagination that it needs to be explained from scratch.
I wonder if any of the forum members in Japan have had a look at the story to see if that is the angle.

Josh · 2008-02-03 01:11:06

Hi Gerry,
I just picked the magazine up. It will take me a little bit to get through the whole article but it seems to be about a living komuso named Kanda who used to be Rinzai priest. He lives deep in the mountains in Yamagata prefecture, up north, and I think he's affiliated with the Myoan school in Kyoto.
I think you're on track with your thoughts on the article. It is very much about the spiritual side of playing, with various photos of Kanda san playing at his temple and also in full komuso attire. I'll read into more and see what the actual point of the article is, but I believe they are playing on the exotic as a seeling point, there are many references to the shakuhachi's mysterious and magical sounds, as well as it being the sound of the "spirits of the dead."

amokrun · 2008-02-03 01:22:22

Gerry wrote:
Which reads something like " Komuso, half-priest/ half-worldly shakuhachi players free themselves with a magic (/demon/witch) flute" or, translated into Googlish, "Magic Flute unleash the bamboo flute player in the semi-profane priest Komuso half".

Sounds great. Maybe now we can finally get that shakuhachi anime/manga that I've been expecting for years. There is one on just about everything from playing mahjong to cooking. I could visualize the hero being a guy who picks up a shakuhachi that he found among the stuff of his grandfather and then ends up fighting all sorts of demons by playing it. The sad part is, that plot isn't even absurd in anime standards.

"Begone demon, or I shall have to banish thee!"
"Go ahead, make my day. What can a little chump like you do? You gonna whack me with that cheap flute of yours?"
"Yes, well, ever heard Kyorei? Should you choose to remain in this realm, I am forced to play it... in DAI KAN!"

*horrible scream is heard as the evil demon melts on the spot*

ps.

I like the "semi-profane priest" translation. I think that after living in a cave for quite some years anyone would become at least semi-profane.

Last edited by amokrun (2008-02-03 01:25:16)

Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

#1 2008-02-02 22:16:30

Komuso story in Jitsuwa Knuckles March 2008

#2 2008-02-03 01:11:06

Re: Komuso story in Jitsuwa Knuckles March 2008

#3 2008-02-03 01:22:22

Re: Komuso story in Jitsuwa Knuckles March 2008

Gerry wrote:

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