Shamisen Lesson and Performance at a Buddhist Temple in Kyoto

Japanese Sensibilities with an Up-and-Coming Musician

Hakumai Yamada is a shamisen player and singer, and the teacher on this experience. He performs traditional pieces, from epics to children’s songs, as well as original compositions. Hakumai aims to express traditional Japanese sensibilities, which he believes to remain fundamentally the same as those of hundreds of years ago. Based in Kyoto, he is the inventor of the shamisen-uta genre, where a single musician plays and sings at the same time.

Mr. Yamada performs at both religious and secular events

According to Hakumai, the shamisen is notably imperfect compared to most western instruments. Tones can appear vague, muddy, or sharp, and chords can hold dissonance within. Nevertheless, the wistful sound of the shamisen resonates in the heart of many Japanese people today, and speaks to the country’s ancient past. Some of Hakumai’s songs are sung in words too old for most people to understand, though the emotions they express are always clear.

Shamisen and bachi plectrums

Hakumai believes that the shamisen expresses the Japanese idea of wabi-sabi, the beauty of imperfection. Wabi, roughly “loneliness” is present in the sound of the shamisen, while sabi, which can mean “rust,” “patina,” and “simplicity” in the ancient Yamato language lyrics. Both words have deep and complex meanings, so the experience of playing the shamisen can provide a gateway to understanding them more completely.

A Setting Befitting the Buddha

Exclusive to Wabunka, this experience offers the opportunity to explore the shamisen, one of Japan’s most popular traditional instruments, at a Buddhist temple in Kyoto. Sessions are held at Daijo-in, a sub-temple of Chomyo-ji Temple nestled along Nio-mon Street in Sakyo Ward, or at Choraku-ji Temple in Gion.

Choraku-ji Temple is over 1,000 years old. It is mentioned in “The Tale of the Heike,” “The Konjaku Monogatari,” and a number of other famous works of Japanese literature. Its garden is said to have served as a prototype for Ginkaku-ji, Kyoto’s famous Silver Pavilion. The grounds are filled with lush natural scenes and the sound of birdsong.

Choraku-ji Temple, located deep in the Gion district and embraced by the natural surroundings of the Higashiyama mountains

Learning the Basics with the Story of the Shamisen in Mind

At the beginning of the lesson, you will explore the history and culture of the shamisen. Using reference materials, your instructor will carefully explain where the shamisen originated, how it spread, and what kinds of music it has developed alongside.

A warm and welcoming lesson held at Daijo-in

Then, learn to play a hosozao, the thinnest type of shamisen, with a plectrum. First, you will be taught how to sit in the kneeling seiza position and hold the shamisen and plectrum. If you prefer, you may also use a chair.

Checking posture and positioning

After assuming the correct position, it’s time to make music. With Hakumai’s instruction, guests will get a feel for sounding and shifting between strings, and learn to ‘push’ rather than pluck to create the best tone. Guidance is provided at a comfortable pace, so even musical novices will be able to participate with ease.

An Ancient Song

“Iroha Uta” is an ancient Japanese song passed down through oral tradition. Learn the simple melody and accompany Hakumai as he adds a main melody and lyrics. The shamisen is tuned to resonate at 528 Hz, which is said to have a relaxing and healing effect on the human body.

“Iroha Uta” encapsulates Japanese aesthetic sensibilities

“Iroha Uta” is part of the Buddhist Nirvana Sutra, and furthermore expresses the idea of wabi-sabi. This makes it another excellent way to understand the qualities and flavor of ancient Japanese.

Playing “Iroha Uta” with traditional sheet music

In addition to “Iroha Uta”, you will learn folk and children’s songs that evoke the current season. With each piece, you will pick up a simple accompaniment to Hakumai’s lead part, allowing the whole group to create beautiful music with only a little practice.

[At Daijo-in Only] Purifying Performance

In the case of sessions held at Chōraku-ji Temple, once you are familiar with the shamisen, you will move on to the final performance, dedicated to the Buddha of the temple. Dedicated performances are said to be the essence of Japanese performing arts. Although playing in front of the altar can appear intimidating, Hakumai aims to make such performances part of everyday life as a performer, and believes that they help foster a sense of gratitude and sincerity. Such performances are furthermore purifying experiences for the body and soul.

The dedication performance can be filmed

A Live Performance on Sacred Ground

The experience concludes with a performance from Hakumai. At Kongo-ji Temple, the performance is of “Matsu no Midori” (“The Green of the Pine Tree”), which describes a magnificent pine in the grounds of the temple. In it, Hakuamai uses the sounds of the shamisen to call to mind the wind flowing through pine needles and the rhythm of a walking courtesan.

The rich expressiveness of the lyrics brings each scene to life

The performance takes place in the garden itself, allowing the sounds of the music to interact with their subject.

At Choraku-ji, the performance is “Four Seasons of Kyoto”, the lyrics of which reference the temple.

A world of wabi-sabi echoed in a temple's silence

In just an hour, you will experience the shamisen as a cultural artifact and as a musical instrument, while at the same time exploring the depth of Japanese sensibilities. Hakumai believes that the melancholy sounds of the shamisen and the wabi-sabi expressed in ancient lyrics helps us to “listen to the scenery and focus on the sound.”