line     
   bird   Nohgakushi Moritaryu Yasuyoshi Morita&Ranmeikai 

to top page　　　　　　to top page　　　　　 to top page　　　　　　to top page　　　　　 to top page　　　　　 to top page

PROFILESTAGENOH&MUSIC LESSON LINK ENGLISH 		 Yasuyoshi Morita   ajiro pattern
   bird  
   bird  
       Hello Yasuyoshi Morita    
 
 		  
    genjiko-hananoen-  
  list markPROFILElist markSTAGElist markNOH&MUSIClist markLESSONlist markLINK   
     
  list mark　 PROFILE  
           
         
       
      Soliloquy…  
       It has been over 40 years since I was born and I have been in the world of NOH for  
      two thirds of that time.  
       The world of NOH is a largely hereditary field and in my case there is no exception.  
      There are some restrictions with regard to practicing NOHKAN (Japanese bamboo    
      flute used for NOH). One cannot start playing NOHKAN before starting school. This is    
      not the case for other NOH players. The reason for this discrepancy is simple: a    
      NOHKAN has only one size, and as such, cannot be played if one’s hands are too    
      small.  Although I could not properly study NOHKAN before starting school, my ears    
      seemed to have been studying by listening to my father.  When I did start studying    
      under my father, I was already prepared, to some extent, to fulfill the duties of my    
      role.   
       The older I get, the more acutely I feel that continuance is power, just as it is and  
      has been for NOH itself.   
       I am most grateful to those predecessors who have contributed to maintain the    
      tradition of NOH.  At the same time, I find it challenging to maintain this tradition;    
      nevertheless, I aspire to devote myself to it.   
           
           
     

Yasuyoshi Morita

    
           
     

Born in the spring of 1963

    
           
     

Studied under Junto Morita, his father

     ajiro pattern
           
     

First stage performance in 1974, with “Soshiarai Komachi”

    
           
     

First NOH  performance in 1978 “Iwafune” and later “Sagi”
“Shakkyo” “ Shojoran” “Dojoji” “Kiyotsune (Koinonetori)”

    
           
     

Member of NOH association Kyoto

    
           
     

Administrator of Kyoto NOH meeting

    
           
     

NOH intangible cultural treasure holder

    
           
     

Morita School

   
           
     

Residence of Kyoto 

    
           
     

Real name Yasuyoshi Nishimura

    
           
           
 
 		  
  list mark STAGE   up  
           
           
           
       NOH is one of Japan’s traditional entertainments which has been assigned as a      
      world cultural heritage. The whole orchestra of players is referred to as the      
      HAYASHIKATA .  The FUEKATA is the instrumentalist who plays the NOHKAN flute. The      
      FUEKATA plays the melody along with the MAI (the dance).  The UTAI (the dialogue      
      and songs of a Noh play) is performed onstage with other instruments, such as an      
      OTSUZUMI (hip drum), a KOTSUZUMI (shoulder drum), or a TAIKO (stick drum).       
      HAYASHI means playing music. The NOHKAN is the only instrument in the orchestra      
      that plays melodies.  It is also used to plays songs for the dance. The atmosphere of      
      the sounds and the dance created leads the audience to a profound world of      
      wonder. NOH has a long history of more than 600 years.  Many songs are      
      composed to show the uniqueness of Japan’s four seasons.  Here are some of the      
      songs.     
              ajiro pattern
             
      Celebration:       
      　　　　　　Takasago/Yumiyawata/Naniwa/Shiga/Yoro/Awaji/Shironushi/　　      
      　　　　　　Ohyashiro/Kamo/Uchitomode/Tsurukame/Oimatsu/Iwafune      
             
      Spring:  cherry blossoms     
      　　　　　　Kocyo/Saigyozakura/Sakuragawa/Dojyoji/Nishikido/Hagoromo       
      　　　　　　Hyakuman/Ashikari/Arashiyama/Uneme/Kakitsubata/Kuzu/Yuya      
             
      Summer:  sunflower     
      　　　　　　Sagi/Sekiderakomachi/Tuchigumo/Tenko/Hannyo/Ukai/Kiso/      
      　　　　　　Michimori/Asukagawa/Utaura/Danpu/Tobosaku/Uto　　　　　　       
             
      Autumn:  red leaves     
      　　　　　　Daie/Toru/Nonomiya/Hajitomi/Matsukaze/Miwa/Akogi/Syojyo       
      　　　　　　Ayanotsuzumi/Kanawa/Kinuta/Kogo/Momijigari/Yugao/Izutsu      
             
      Winter:  snowman   
      　　　　　　Takenoyuki/Toboku/Hachinoki/Makiginu/Futarisizuka/Ama/Yuki/       
      　　　　　　Katsuragi/Kurumazo/Tatsuta/Murogimi/Taema/Yoroboshi/
　　　　　　Mochizuki		      
             
             
 
 		  
  list mark NOH and MUSIC   up  
           
         
         
       In a NOH performance, the dancing is referred to as the MAI.  The music played    
      during a MAI is called the MAIKYOKU. Here is a list of MAIKYOKU songs played in NOH.    
      There is usually only one single song played in a NOH performance along with a    
      melody called an ASHIRAI, which is woven in throughout the play.  Sometimes, a    
      NOH play has more than one MAIKYOKU, which is played differently depending on    
      the SHITEKATA (the main character of the play).  Additionally, some NOH use only    
      an ASHIRAI without a MAIKYOKU. The list of MAIKYOKU and NOH accompanying this      
      introduction are the most popular, and have been selected from more than 200      
      songs.     
           
            ajiro pattern
      Cyunomai:     
      　　　　　　Yuya/Matsukaze/Soshiaraikomachi/Hannyo/Hibariyama/   ball     
      　　　　　　Funabenkei/Momijigari/Ukon/Kureha/Seiohbo/Yoshinotennin/  
      　　　　　　Kocyo/Syojyo   
         
      Jyonomai:     
      　　　　　　Eguchi/Senjyu/Izutsu/Yokihi/Unene/Teika/Basyo/Toboku/    
      　　　　　　Hotokebara/Nonomiya/Hajitomi/Minobu/Ume/Futarishizuka/     
      　　　　　　Sumiyoshimode/Yoshinoshizuka/Tokusa/Yugao/Hagoromo/
　　　　　　Seiganji/Unrinin/Oshio/Kakitsubata/Mutsura/Fuji/Yugyoyanagi/		    
      　　　　　　Kazuraki/Saigyozakura/Ohmukomachi/Higaki/Sekiderakomachi/     
      　　　　　　Obasute     
           
      Shinnojyonomai:     
      　　　　　　Oimatsu/Hakurakuten/Ugetsu/Hojyogawa     
           
      Otokomai:     
      　　　　　　Morihisa/Shichikiochi/Kiso/Syunei/Ashikari/Kogo/Kosodesoga/     
      　　　　　　Nakamitsu/Ataka     
           
      Kamimai:    
      　　　　　　Takasago/Yumiyawata/Naniwa/Shiga/Yoro/Awaji/Shironushi　　    
        ball     
      Banshikihayamai:   
      　　　　　　Toru/Genjyo/Sumagenji/Ama/Taema   
         
      Ohshikihayamai:    
      　　　　　　Atsumori/Ikutaatsumori/Nishikigi/Matsumusi     
           
      Kakko:     
      　　　　　　Jinenkoji/Togankoji/Kagetsu/Hokaso/Toei/Mochizuki     
           
      Gaku:     
      　　　　　　Tenko/Fujidaiko/Umegae/Tsurukame/Nezame/Ohyashiro/Rinzo    
      　　　　　　Tobosaku/Ikkakusennin/Tosen/Makurajido/Kantan/Sansyo     
           
      Kagura:     
      　　　　　　Miwa/Tatsuta/Makiginu/Genzaishichimen/Urokogata/Ema/    
      　　　　　　Uchitomode/Murogimi    
            ajiro pattern
      Midare:    
      　　　　　　Syojyoran     
      　　　　　　Sagiran:    
      　　　　　　     
      Shishi:    
      　　　　　　Syakkyo/Mochizuki/Uchitomode     
           
      Hayafue:     
      　　　　　　Chikubusima/Iwafune/Kasugaryujin/Arashiyama/Kamo/Kokaji/     
      　　　　　　Funabenkei  ball      
         
      Ohbeshi:   
         
      　　　　　　Zekai/Kuramatengu/Kurumazo/Dairokuten     
           
      Sagariha:     
      　　　　　　Syojyo/Taiheisyojyo/Seiohbo/Yoshinotennin     
           
           
 
 		  
  list mark LESSON   up  
           
             
             
       A NOHKAN has a throat of sorts. The body is made of bamboo and, to the naked      
      eye, appears to be an ordinary Japanese bamboo flute. However, because it has a      
      built-in throat, it can produce a novel NOH sound called HISHIGI, or a very high pitch      
      tone which is different from an ordinary flute.      
      Furthermore, the throat of a NOHKAN eliminates the idea of a stable tuning.  This is      
      why there are no notes in the music, as would be found in western music, but      
      instead SHOGA, which shows the sounds and melodies.  Players must memorize the      
      whole SHOGA, as there is no sheet music on stage for any players. An average      
      performance, therefore, would require performers to have one and a half hours of      
      material memorized. Thus can it be seen why players must begin learning from a    
      young age to become true professionals in this field.  On the other hand, there are      
      many people from different generations learning NOH for fun or as a hobby just as it      
      is with music throughout the world.     
             
             
 
 		  
  list mark LINK   
           
           
           
             
      Noh-Wikipedia,the free encyclopediabutton    
           
           
           
     
   　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　e-mailnohkan@opal.ocn.ne.jp    
       
 
 		  
      to top page⇒mark is Sumitateyotume&birdMoritaryu fuekata Yasuyoshi Morita ajiro pattern up