Home People Pieces Recordings Bibliography Schools Glossary Sites & Events Teachers Join the ISS Log In

Kodera Bōzan

小寺 畝山

Kodera Bōzan
7/1/1877 - ????

Shakuhachi

Kodera Bōzan (Kodera Kenjirō) was born July 1, 1877 in Osaka.
He was interested in the shakuhachi from childhood and began a course of self-study using scores published by the Tozan-ryū.
After graduating from Osaka Prefectural Junior High School in March 1896 and Tokyo Central University in March 1901, he joined the Korean Government in February, 1905, and was transferred to the Korean Governor-General's Office in Gyeongseong, Gongju, Busan, and several other locales after the annexation of Korea to Japan in August, 1910.
In August 1916, while working in Busan, he was introduced to a Buddhist monk named Minagawa Toaki, and had his first experience teaching shakuhachi.
He left the government service and became a full-time shakuhachi instructor, teaching throughout south-central Korea and making great efforts to develop the popularity of the Tozan-ryū there.
In January 1918, he returned to Osaka to settle his family affairs and began formal study with Soke Nakao Tozan.
He received his Jun-shihan (associate instructor) license in July, 1926.
Following that, he spent all of his spare time teaching shakuhachi and continued his studies, and in February of 1931, he was finally promoted to Shihan.
He loved playing Jiuta pieces and even learned how to play the shamisen.

Also Known As 小寺 謙治郎 (Kodera Kenjirō)
Teachers

Students