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This is a Koten piece from the Fudaiji school .

History (from Jin Nyodo)
Fudai-ji: MUKAIJI

1. About the title:

It is one of the three traditional pieces Koten Sankyoku. Please refer to the section on those pieces in "Commonly Used Titles."

2. Structure of the piece

There is no clear-cut division into dan, but we can tentatively divide it based, on overall melodic structure into three sections: low - high - low. A more detailed examination is as follows:

I: a (a five-breath introduction) - b
II: c (upper range section)
III: b (in the middle the melody of II is interpolated for only one breath, lowered an octave) - d (the finale section)

3. Special features of the piece:

There is little 'fluctuation in tempo and it is played for the most part in the upper range, which reaches a kind of plateau with a rather remote feeling, One can also sense a dignified, ceremonial mood.

Mukaiji (Fudaiji) appears on the following albums:

Album	Shakuhachi	Koto	Shamisen
Jin Nyodo No Shakuhachi 05  (Listen)	Jin Nyodo
Fudai-ji: MUKAIJI 2-shaku 9 min. 27 sec. 1. About the title: It is one of the three traditional pieces Koten Sankyoku. Please refer to the section on those pieces in "Commonly Used Titles." 2. Structure of the piece There is no clear-cut division into dan, but we can tentatively divide it based, on overall melodic structure into three sections: low - high - low. A more detailed examination is as follows: I: a (a five-breath introduction) - b II: c (upper range section) III: b (in the middle the melody of II is interpolated for only one breath, lowered an octave) - d (the finale section) 3. Special features of the piece: There is little 'fluctuation in tempo and it is played for the most part in the upper range, which reaches a kind of plateau with a rather remote feeling, One can also sense a dignified, ceremonial mood.
Kyoto Spirit  (Listen)	Kurahashi Yoshio
One of the three oldest honkyoku, Mukaiji is said to have been composed in a dream. The title is evocative of mist over the ocean.
Mukaiji - Komuso Shakuhachi  (Listen)	Zenyoji Keisuke
One of the three most important classical pieces Mukaiji, Koku and Kyorei. These are the most fundamental and oldest shakuhachi pieces. Mukaiji transmitted by Fudai-ji temple uses the Kusabi-buki technique where the blowing starts strong and becomes thinner gradually like Kusabi (wedge). This is a subdued and quite refined piece. Mukaiji has also different names such as Reibo or Renbo but the name is said to be originated from Zen vocabulary Mukai Nanshin. According to Kyotaku Oenki Kokujikai, Hottoh-Kokushi name it after the Kichiku's dream - a flute sound in fog on a small boat. Some Komuso-monk continued to play this piece even in the Edo period when musical performance was banned, by claiming Mukaiji deserves special exemption, although it was forbidden eventually. The Komuso temple Fudai-ji was banned in the first year of Meiji period and the land was used as the first organ factory in Japan which turned out to be the birth place of the Yamaha music industry.
Sound of Japan  (Listen)	Mitsuhashi Kifu