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Kuroda Bushi

黒田節

[Genre]Min'yo
[School]Min'yo

History (Takahashi Yujiro):

The title, "Song of Kuroda", is a pun on the homophonous "samurai of Kuroda". The Kuroda clan once held northern Kyushu, whose culture was heavily influenced by court nobles who had fled there in the 12th century. The song's tune derives from the best-known court instrumental piece "Etenraku".
Verse 1 commemorates a supposed event of 1590. The shogun Hideyoshi had just presented a famed spear to his general Masanori. The Kuroda warrior Mori Tahei then arrived with a message for Masanori, who insisted that Tahei join him in a celebratory drink. Forbidden to drink "on duty", he refused; Masanori insisted, and finally offered him a gift of his choice if he would drink. Tahei drank - and claimed the spear! - Verse 2 reaches back to the 12th century: the emperor's concubine had, through court intrigue, been banished to a hidden hut in the woods. The monarch sent a servant to find her. From a distance, he heard her playing on her koto zither a tune that confirmed she still loved her man.

Drink, drink sake! If you drink, you'll win this, the best spear in all Japan.
If you drink enough to win it, you're a true Kuroda samurai.
Is it a storm in the mountains, or the wind in the pines, or the person I'm seeking
playing the koto? Stopping his horse to listen, [he heard] the clear sounds of the
plectrums playing "Longing for Her Husband".

Kuroda Bushi appears on the following albums

Album Artist
Play ButtonEndless Sea - Impressions of Japan Shakuhachi : John Singer
Play ButtonFlower Dance - Japanese Folk Melodies
The famous melody of Kuroda bushi derives from a drinking song of the Kuroda family in Fukuoka, Kyushu. The melody was taken from court music known as Etenraku, originally sung to hand clapping by warriors at such occasions as drinking parties. Today the music is performed on the shamisen and other Japanese instruments as accompaniment to sword dances which was probably done in earlier days as well.
Play ButtonFlute and Koto of Japan Shamisen : Yonekawa Toshiko
Shakuhachi : Yamaguchi Gorō

Folk Songs with Shakuhachi Shakuhachi : Kamiyama Tensui I
Play ButtonJapanese Folk Songs
Japanese main folk song. This song tells about the episode of a soldier during the age of the 16th Century wars. As the song is related with Sake (Japanese wine), this is often sung at feasts.

Koto no Kyoshu Nihon no Merodi-shu Koto : Yonekawa Toshiko
Koto : Tsujimoto Chikatoyo
Koto : Yonekawa Toshiko II
Shakuhachi : Suginuma Sachio
Koto : Yonekawa Megumi

Koto no Miryoku - Disk 1 Koto : Yamauchi Kimiko

Memories of Japan Shakuhachi : Riley Kōho Lee
Play ButtonMemories of My Home Shakuhachi : Riley Kōho Lee
Play ButtonMin'yo - Folk Song from Japan - Takahashi Yujiro and friends Shakuhachi : Takahashi Yujiro
The title, "Song of Kuroda", is a pun on the homophonous "samurai of Kuroda". The Kuroda clan once held northern Kyushu, whose culture was heavily influenced by court nobles who had fled there in the 12th century. The song's tune derives from the best-known court instrumental piece "Etenraku".
Verse 1 commemorates a supposed event of 1590. The shogun Hideyoshi had just presented a famed spear to his general Masanori. The Kuroda warrior Mori Tahei then arrived with a message for Masanori, who insisted that Tahei join him in a celebratory drink. Forbidden to drink "on duty", he refused; Masanori insisted, and finally offered him a gift of his choice if he would drink. Tahei drank - and claimed the spear! - Verse 2 reaches back to the 12th century: the emperor's concubine had, through court intrigue, been banished to a hidden hut in the woods. The monarch sent a servant to find her. From a distance, he heard her playing on her koto zither a tune that confirmed she still loved her man.

Drink, dink sake! If you drink, you'll win this, the best spear in all Japan.
If you drink enough to win it, you're a true Kuroda samurai.
Is it a storm in the mountains, or the wind in the pines, or the person I'm seeking
playing the koto? Stopping his horse to listen, [he heard] the clear sounds of the
plectrums playing "Longing for Her Husband".

Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes
e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk

Minyo no Sekai Shakuhachi : Yashita Isamu

Minyo Shakuhachi no Shirabe Shakuhachi : Kubota Yōhō

Moonlit Castle Shakuhachi : John Singer
Play ButtonMusical Memories of Japan

Nihon Minyo - Shakuhachi Tokusen Shu - 2 Shakuhachi : Kamiyama Tensui I

Sato no Ne
Play ButtonShakuhachi Min'yo

Shakuhachi Min'yo - Furusato no Uta - Vol 3 Shakuhachi : Yashita Isamu

Shakuhachi no Shirabe - Hietsuki Bushi Shakuhachi : Miyata Kōhachirō

Shakuhachi, Shamisen no Shirabe; Nihon no Minyo - 2 Shakuhachi : Yoneya Iwao

Shakuhachi/ Kaze no Tabi - Volume 4 Shakuhachi : Suzuki Jofū
Shakuhachi : Yamashita Mufū
Shakuhachi : Saeki Shōfū

Tokusen Shakuhachi Minyo Shakuhachi : Kamiyama Tensui I

Yagishita - 2 Shakuhachi : Kamiyama Tensui I

Zen (Shakuhachi, Koto, Guqin, Yanqin, Gayageum) Shakuhachi : Rodrigo Rodriguez