Taishō-era Shakuhachi Orihon “Isobushi” – Teacher-corrected double-sided manuscript, Kinko-ryū notation, Japan c.1915–1930

Isobushi (磯ぶし) — “Song by the Shore.”
A traditional shakuhachi melody transmitted within the Kinko-ryū school, blending classical honkyoku and regional min’yō (folk) themes.

Description:

An exceptionally rare handwritten shakuhachi orihon (folding manuscript) from early 20th-century Japan — a complete, double-sided teaching copy used in the Kinko-ryū school of shakuhachi.
This remarkable document combines refined brush calligraphy in black ink with red phrasing marks and teacher’s handwritten corrections and pasted inserts — a direct trace of the living master-student transmission process.

The first page lists an extraordinary repertoire of classical and regional pieces, including:

Hakata-bushi (博多節) – Song of Hakata, Fukuoka region

Iyo-bushi (伊豫節) – Melody from Iyo, Shikoku

Tateyama-bushi (立山節) – Song of Mount Tateyama

Fukagawa (深川) – Popular Edo/Tokyo tune

Konpira Funefune (金比羅船舟) – Sailors’ song for the deity Konpira

Yoneyama Jinku (米山甚句) – Song of Mount Yoneyama

Matsumae-hama (松前濱) – Coastal melody from Hokkaidō

Okihama Reibo (奧濱鈴慕) – Variant of “Reibo,” “Breath of the Bell”

Gosho-guruma (御所車) – “Imperial carriage” court piece

Ume ni Haru (梅に春) – “Spring and Plum Blossom”
…and other seasonal and ceremonial works forming a complete pedagogical anthology rather than a fragment.

Inside, fourteen folded panels are filled with traditional ro-tsu-re-chi-ri-ro notation, precise brushwork, and red-ink phrasing guides.
Two small cinnabar seals (朱印) mark the master’s review — confirmation that this manuscript was part of an active teaching lineage rather than a printed edition.

Each correction, pasted strip, and added syllable reveals how shakuhachi music was transmitted before standardized printing.
It reflects not only notation but the ethos of direct oral transmission (denshō), where each master shaped subtle breath timing and phrasing for every student.

Condition:

Good condition for its age (c.1915–1930).
Some gentle wear, toning, and small usage marks consistent with authentic study use.
Folding structure remains complete and stable.
Both black and red inks are clearly legible.

Format: 14 panels, double-sided orihon
Dimensions (folded): approx. 28 × 9 cm
Medium: ink and cinnabar seal on traditional handmade paper

Significance:

Teacher-corrected shakuhachi manuscripts of this kind are exceptionally rare — most remained in private dojos and teaching lineages.
This orihon unites artistry, pedagogy, and musical history, offering direct insight into how Japanese flute traditions were taught before printed editions.
A museum-level document of Kinko-ryū practice, valuable both to collectors and researchers of Japanese calligraphy and musical culture.