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- Henro -

遍路

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This is a Modern piece . Henro is also known as: A Pilgrim's Song. This piece was composed for shakuhachi by Kineya Seiho .

History (from Gould, Michael Chikuzen)
Kineya Seiho composed this modern piece expressing different feelings and thoughts evocative of a pilgrimage. The song is arranged in twelve distinct sections sometimes played separately and sometimes together. The bells are commonly carried and rung as one is walking during the pilgrimage.

Henro appears on the following albums:

    AlbumShakuhachiKotoShamisen
    Daiyon FUDO - Kineya Seiho  (Listen) Ishikawa Toshimitsu

      On the island of Shikoku in western Japan there is a tradition called "Henro meguri" of making a pilgrimage to 88 sacred places, and believers strive to make this pilgrimage once in their lives. After completing the "Henro meguri" the pilgrims' troubles will have been overridden and they will find peace and tranquility in their hearts. This composition layers that idea of a physical pilgrimage on top of a musical pilgrimage, and the road to good music is likened to a pilgrimage. Pilgrims making the "Henro meguri" begin by ringing a bell and then continue to ring that bell throughout their journey. The sound of the shakuhachi creates the same effect as the ringing of the bell on that pilgrimage.



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