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Katō Seizan

加藤 栖山

Katō Seizan
12/21/1898 - ????

Shakuhachi & Composer

Tozan-ryū shakuhachi Grand Master, virtuoso, teacher, and award-winning composer Katō Seizan (Katō Yuzuru) was born in Osaka, December 21, 1898. His parents had moved to the area in 1887 from Kyushu to establish a Buddhist temple there (his father, Katō Hogan, was a priest of the Otani sect), and most of Yuzuru’s training was aimed at his becoming a monk, specifically, a Buddhist missionary. However, he eventually found a position in a company that made film for photography and that became his career.
His father was a talented amateur musician and had a collection that included Sho, Hichiriki, and Shakuhachi. He became Yuzuru’s first shakuhachi teacher.
In April of 1915 he entered into formal lessons with Tozan master Nakagamiya Hakuzan in Osaka, completed his Shoden studies. When Hakuzan was transferred out of town the next year, Katō became the student of Sōke (headmaster) Nakao Tozan.
From then on, his rise through the ranks of the Tozan-ryū was swift, finishing his Chūden study in June of 1916, Ōkuden in December of 1918, then getting his preliminary instructors license in February of 1920.
He sat for his Jun-Shihan (associate instructor) examination in February of 1921 and was given the name Seizan. He received his Shihan in October 1925. In February of 1931 he was given the rank of Dai-Shihan (Grand Master).
In 1927 he was appointed to the Tozan-ryū Master Examination Committee, leading to several other appointments, including serving as a Tozan-ryū Councilmember many times.
He was also a featured performer at several important presentations and concerts, including a famous performance of Chidori no Kyoku and Wakana at the Kyoto Mayor’s residence for Japan’s Emperor in 1938.
His talents didn’t end there, and Tozan encouraged him to explore composition, in which he excelled, winning many awards.
His hobbies included horse riding, archery, judō, and the game of Go.

Also Known As 加藤 譲 (Katō Yuzuru)
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