Japanese Shakuhachi Terms

This is a list of shakuhachi terms (glossary). Note that different schools or styles have varying definitions for some of these shakuhachi terms. The most common or strictly accurate definitions for these shakuhachi terms were used. Less common interpretations are included for some shakuhachi terms where appropriate, for further understanding. As with any translation, some shakuhachi terms simply do not translate well into English, or perhaps many other languages.

A – H

• Atari (当たり) – to articulate/repeat/attack a note on the shakuhachi by quickly tapping a finger hole. Tonguing is not used for traditional shakuhachi playing.
• Chokan (長管) – “long-tube”, referring to shakuhachi generally longer than 2.2 or 2.4 (in excess of 70-75cm). Usually Jinashi or Jimori shakuhachi.
• Chu meri (中メり) – “half meri”, usually achieved by only half covering a finger hole with no lowering of the head.
• Dai Kan (大甲) – the third register, not to be conflated with the 3rd octave nor Kan the second register (see below). In fact, Dai Kan, the 3rd register, is not used in Koten or Edo period Honkyoku and they had no such term back then, just Otsu and Kan.
• Dai meri (大メり) – dai means “big”, therefore, dai meri is generally the deepest or lowest amount of flattening of the pitch used for traditional music. Sometimes translated as O’meri or “great meri”.
• Fuke shu (普化宗) – pseudo Zen sect formed by and for Ronin Samurai turned Komoso and then Komuso, ‘shakuhachi monks’.
• Hocchiku (法竹) – 20th century jinashi style shakuhachi which are much longer and or wider than the shakuhachi of the Komuso monks. Created and popularized by Watazumi (1910-1992).
• Honkyoku (本曲) – Honkyoku literally means “original music” and can refer to a single piece or to the genre as a whole. It’s the most venerated type of shakuhachi music because it’s considered spiritual or meditative, having been composed by the Komuso monks during the Edo period. Many distinct regional styles of Honkyoku developed across Japan.
• Kan 甲 (かん) – The second, higher register of the shakuhachi, not to be conflated with the second octave. Kan is the highest register used in Koten or Edo period Honkyoku, in fact, and there is no use nor mention of the Dai Kan (see above).
• Komoso (薦僧/菰僧) – Predecessors to the Komuso, in 15th century literature we begin to see mentions of shakuhachi playing ‘beggar monks’ called Komoso or ‘straw mat monks’ 薦僧/菰僧. Their name comes from the fact that they carried straw mats around with them to sleep on or to use as shelter from the elements. The Komoso would play shakuhachi for alms or donations, however, they were mostly laypersons of ‘commoner’ birth.
• Komuso (虚無僧) – In the latter half of the 16th century an increasing number of Samurai found themselves ronin or ‘masterless’. As a result, many more of these ronin Samurai began joining the ranks of the shakuhachi playing Komoso. Eventually, the Samurai began calling themselves the Komuso or ‘illusory nothingness monks’ 虚無僧. As such, the Komoso laypersons start to disappear from history (see also Fuke shu above).

I – U

• Insempo (陰旋法) – literally the “dark scale”. Also known as the “Koto scale” and Miyako bushi. Said to have originated with the common folk before being adopted by the upper class.
• Jinoko ‘Ji’ (地の粉) – “paste/plaster” traditionally a paste/plaster made by mixing urushi and jinoko stone powder but now can be anything that sticks to bamboo, e.g., glue (not to be confused with lacquer which is painted onto the inner bore and is usually brown, black, or red in color).
• Jinuri or ‘Jiari’ (地塗り) – “paste applied”, fully pasted/plastered human-shaped bore shakuhachi. Also with lacquer, joints, and inlays.
• Jinashi (地無し) – “no paste”, natural or mostly natural bore shakuhachi (jinashikan kan = tube 地無し管).
• Jimori (地盛り) – “portion of paste”, small amounts of paste for tuning turn jinashi into jimori, by strict definition.
• Kan (甲) – the second register. Not to be confused with the second octave.
• Kari (カり) – the act of raising the head or pitch, usually coming up from meri. Not to be confused with the regular head position.
• Madake (真竹)– a species of bamboo from China (Phyllostachys bambusoides) common name “Japanese timber bamboo”. It has become synonymous with Japan. It’s the only bamboo type traditionally used for the shakuhachi.
• Meri – flattening the pitch by getting the lips closer to the edge and by shading of finger-holes.
• Otsu (乙) – the first register. Not to be confused with the first octave.
• Shakuhachi (尺八) – an umbrella term for all lengths of shakuhachi, however, shakuhachi literally means 1.8.
• Tamenaoshi / Tameru (矯め直し / 矯める) – straightening, heat bending bamboo.
• Utaguchi (歌口) – literally “song opening”, it includes the sharp blowing edge of the shakuhachi which air is directed at in order to produce a sound.