Sunday, September 5, 2010

にほんの しゃくはち Japanese Shakuhachi Flute

おはよう ございます。Here are some things I learned to say this past week to add to my self introduction:
はじめまして。ブルネット です。ぼくは ノオトルダムだいがくの「University of Notre Dame」 がくせい です。せんこうは ぶつり と いがく「Physics in Medicine」です。そして、よねんせい です。カリフウニア「California」から きました。どうぞ よろしく。


I would like to share a Japanese object called a shakuhachi 「しゃくはち」。しゃくはちは ふえflute」 です。


しゃくはちis traditional Japanese instrument, made from the base of bamboo. As we learned last week「はち」Hachi is the number 8. 「しゃく」Shaku is a unit of length that is very close to 1 foot. So shakuhachi is actually the traditional length of the instrument, 1 しゃくplus はし“other things” I think the smaller measurements are「すん」。The shakuhachi I have been trying to play is not made from bamboo but is a plastic imitation to scale. (Some people even make shakuhachi from PVC pipe). I bought one because I enjoy its relaxing sounds and use it for meditation.
The notes are traditionally written in katakana, ロ、ツ、レ、チ、リ、ビ、ハ。
Shakuhachi is typically made from 2「に」pieces, convenient for transport :)
I will try to put a video of my attempt of playing shakuhachi either later today, or in a future post. Just bought mine a few weeks ago... so maybe later is better. Okay, have a vid :) lighting isn't the best. Using learned にほんご from first two weeks for very rough じこしょうかい。みて ください。


4 comments:

  1. ブルネットさん、これは いいポーストですね。とても おもしろいです。

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's really cool! I know you said you just got it a few weeks ago, but can you play many songs yet?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cool, you should bring it to class and play us something!

    ReplyDelete
  4. そです。That しゃくはち seems very cool. I agree with Ganmodoki, you should bring it to class and play for us! Everyone in our class is so exciting :D

    ReplyDelete