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Shimabara Hanzan

島原 帆山

Shimabara Hanzan
9/16/1901 - 12/15/2001

Shakuhachi

He was the National President of the Japan Shakuhachi Association and despite his advanced age, he performed and taught energetically until his death on 15th Dec 2001.

Studied Tozan Ryū shakuhachi with Okamoto Yōzan.

In 1919, at the age of 18, he became Nakao Tozan’s student.

In 1938 he became Dai shihan and then in 1941 was awarded “Chikurinken”, which is the highest title of the Tozan School. After the war, in his utterly devastated hometown of Hiroshima, where many of his relatives and friends died, he determined to make shakuhachi his career. He continued to live in Hiroshima and worked tirelessly aiming to contribute to the cultural recovery of his beloved Hiroshima.

In 1969, Shimabara played the shakuhachi in the United States and became well-known abroad.

In 1977 he was designated as Living National Treasure.

In 1995, whilst rehearsing for a concert for the Hiroshima Arts Festival, he was informed that his son, Kanzan, also a Dai shihan, had just died. Hanzan didn’t want to disappoint the audience, so insisted on continuing. He then took on the task of teaching all his son’s students. Often lessons, conducted once a week, would start at 6pm and go to 1am the next morning. When students had left, Hanzan would continue to practice. He also had a keen interest in calligraphy and art and attended many exhibitions.

In 1999, a special concert was held for his 100th birthday. This was recorded by NHK TV. Hanzan then was actually “only” 99, but according to the old Japanese system of counting, the day he was born is year one. At the concert he performed with the late Kikuhara Hatsuko on Koto. She was also 99 and a living National Treasure. He was a strong believer in exercising as part of improving as a shakuhachi player and every day he would do weight lifting. Whilst believing in regular healthy exercise, he was known to enjoy his food. After his 100th year concert he enjoyed a huge Chinese banquet. When he was in hospital in November 2015, he ordered a big juicy steak to be delivered to his room.

Hanzan’s last public appearances included 2015's Atom Bomb Memorial Day Ceremony, where his students played his composition “Heiwa no Sanga”, dedicated to the Atom Bomb victims with his cherished desire for everlasting world peace.

[A translated extract from the Chugoku Shimbun and one of his students Umeda Zenzan. Many thanks for the permission to use their articles.]

Also Known As 島原 重藏 (Shimabara Shigezō)
Teachers

Students

Albums

Tozan Ryu - Shakuhachi Dai Zen Shu - Vol 1 Tozan Ryu - Shakuhachi Dai Zen Shu - Vol 1

Tozan Ryu Shakuhachi - Honkyoku Tozan Ryu Shakuhachi - Honkyoku

Tozan Ryu Shakuhachi Solos Tozan Ryu Shakuhachi Solos

Tracks Recorded

Pieces KanjiLengthAlbumInstrument
Play Button Aki no Koto No Ha 秋の言の葉 15'12 Seiha Hogakkai Play Favorites 09 - Meiji Shinkyoku Shakuhachi
Aki no Koto No Ha 秋の言の葉 15'10 Sokyoku Jiuta Taikei 43 Shakuhachi
Play Button Asagiri 朝霧 18/54 Tozan Ryu Honkyoku Instruction Recording - Vol 1 - Disk 3 Shakuhachi
Chanoyu Ondo 茶湯音頭 16'50 Sankyoku Gassō Dai Zenshū vol. 3 (三曲合奏大全集3) Shakuhachi
Chidori no Kyoku 千鳥の曲 Yamada-Ryū Koto no Kagami Shakuhachi
Echigojishi 越後獅子 17'35 Sokyoku Jiuta Taikei 22 Shakuhachi
Play Button Haru no Hikari 春の光 12'15 Tozan Ryu - Shakuhachi Dai Zen Shu - Vol 1 Shakuhachi
Play Button Heiwa no Sanga 平和の山河 08'29 Tozan Ryu Honkyoku Instruction Recording - Vol 3 - Disk 3 Shakuhachi
Play Button Hira 比良 08'40 Sokyoku Miyagi Michio Sakuhin Hen II Shakuhachi
Play Button Hiyoku no Cho 比翼の蝶 08'31 Tozan Ryu Honkyoku Instruction Recording - Vol 5 - Disk 3 Shakuhachi
Iwashimizu 岩清水 13'10 Hōgaku seisen 40 - Shakuhachi Shakuhachi
Play Button Iwashimizu 岩清水 15'51 Tozan Ryu - Shakuhachi Dai Zen Shu - Vol 1 Shakuhachi
Play Button Iwashimizu 岩清水 17'09 Tozan Ryu Honkyoku Instruction Recording - Vol 1 - Disk 2 Shakuhachi
Kajimakura 楫枕 15'42 Sokyoku Jiuta Taikei 33 Shakuhachi
Kangetsu 寒月 12'00 Hōgaku seisen 40 - Shakuhachi Shakuhachi
Play Button Kangetsu 寒月 15'57 Tozan Ryu Honkyoku Instruction Recording - Vol 2 - Disk 2 Shakuhachi
Play Button Kanginuta 寒砧 08'10 Tozan Ryu - Shakuhachi Dai Zen Shu - Vol 1 Shakuhachi
Play Button Kogarashi (Tozan) 木枯 07'00 Tozan Ryu Shakuhachi Solos Shakuhachi
Play Button Kōgetsuchō 慷月調 15'10 Tozan Ryu Honkyoku Instruction Recording - Vol 5 - Disk 1 Shakuhachi
Play Button Kōjō no Tsuki 荒城の月 08'50 Tozan Ryu - Shakuhachi Dai Zen Shu - Vol 1 Shakuhachi
Play Button Mine no Tsuki 峰の月 08'08 Tozan Ryu Shakuhachi Solos Shakuhachi
Play Button Momiji 紅葉 12'54 Tozan Ryu Shakuhachi - Honkyoku Shakuhachi
Play Button Renshu Kyoku Ichiban 練習曲一番 04'45 Tozan Ryu Shakuhachi Solos Shakuhachi
Play Button Renshu Kyoku Niban 練習曲二番 06'01 Tozan Ryu Shakuhachi Solos Shakuhachi
Rokudan-Hachidan Fuki Awase 六段ー八段吹合わせ 11'48 Shakuhachi - Classical Modern Best 30 - 05 Shakuhachi
Play Button Seikaiha 青海波 11'04 Tozan Ryu Honkyoku Instruction Recording - Vol 3 - Disk 3 Shakuhachi
Play Button Seikaiha 青海波 11'40 Tozan Ryu Shakuhachi - Honkyoku Shakuhachi
Play Button Shimoyo 霜夜 15'36 Tozan Ryu Honkyoku Instruction Recording - Vol 1 - Disk 2 Shakuhachi
Tsuru Kame no Kyoku 鶴亀の曲 12'38 Sokyoku Jiuta Taikei 44 Shakuhachi
Play Button Tsuru no Sugomori (Tozan) 鶴の巣籠 21'50 Shakuhachi Nyumon Shakuhachi
Yachio Jishi 八千代獅子 10'02 Sankyoku Gassō Dai Zenshū vol. 2 (三曲合奏大全集2) Shakuhachi
Play Button Yoru no Omoi 夜の懐 10'51 Tozan Ryu Honkyoku Instruction Recording - Vol 3 - Disk 1 Shakuhachi