Syou

Syou is composed of one 'Kashira' (head) and seventeen bamboo pipes.

Kashira is made of wood, and a disk ('Kyo') made of bull horn is set on the top
of it. It has seventeen holes for each of the bamboo pipes.

Each bamboo pipe is the same thickness but different length. Seventeen
bamboo pipes are attached in a circle on the top of the Kashira. Fifteen of the
pipes have Sita made of a copper and gold alloy at their bases.


Hichiriki
Hichiriki is composed of a
bamboo pipe approximately
18 centimeters long (the
diameter of the top is about
1.5 centimeters and the bottom about 1 centimeter). It has seven holes on the front and two holes on the back.
The pipe is rolled up by birch bark except holes. Ashizetu (mouthpiece) is inserted into the pipe for playing.

Ryuteki
Ryuteki is composed of a bamboo pipe which is about 40 centimeters
long. The pipe is wrapped in birch bark. And it has one hole for the
mouth and seven holes for fingers on the front.

Kagurabue
Kagurabue(Kagura) is also known as "Wabue"
and "Hutobue." Kagurabue was born in Japan
compared with other "Yokobue" e.g Ryuteki
was born in China and Korea.



Koto
Koto has a very long history. It was invented two thousand
years ago during the Sin dynasty in China. Koto with twelve
strings and with thirteen strings were born during the Zui
dynasty and the Tou dynasty. Koto with thirteen strings was
introduced into Japan and developed. There are three kinds of
Koto in Japan. They are named "Gakusou," "Chikusou," and
"Zokusou." In Konkokyo-Tengaku, Zokusou is used.
Wagon
Wagon was born in Japan. The length is about 1.93
centimeters and the width at the top is about 15 centimeters
and at the bottom is about 24 centimeters and the thickness
is about 4.5 centimeters. It used to be made of the Japanese
cypress but now is made of paulownia.
Taiko
'Taiko' is composed of the bass drum hung in the middle of a frame. The drum is
about 60 centimeters in diameter. Only the front side is hit by the drum stick. The
top of the drum stick is round and the body is made from wood and wrapped in
skin.



Kakko
'Kakko' has a body made of wood. The shape is fat at the middle, and surface
of the skin at both ends are tightened by black strings ("Ohsirabe" made from
horse hide).
On playing, both ends are hit by drum sticks made of wood. The way to hold
them is like supporting by a little fing









Syouko
"Shouko" has a bronze plate to hit unlike Taiko and Kakko. The plate is
hung by a hook at the top. It is played by striking the plate with drum
sticks. It is played mainly at the orchestra of Chuseigaku. Like Kakko, it
plays the role of adding accents to the monotonous rhythm and controlling
beating time.

Syakubyoushi
"Syakubyosi" is made of a piece of wood which is
cut in two pieces at the center of. They are played by
hitting each other.
They are about 36.3 centimeters long (the width of
the top is about 7.8 centimeters and the bottom is
about 8 millimeters together), and the thickness is
about 1.1 centimeters. Boxwood, sometimes cherry and Japanese apricot tree is used as
material.
Mainly it is used by the conductor as the signal to start and end a tune at the Service. It is
also played at "Kaityou" and "Tamagushi" with Wagon and Kagurabue.
Odaiko
The most dramatic is the Odaiko (big drum). The physical energy and sheer
excitement of an Odaiko performance is an integral part of many
Japanese matsuri (festivals)



Tsuzumi
The hourglass-shaped tsuzumi was introduced from the Asian continent
around the 7th century and the name is derived from Sanskrit. Two varieties,
the smallerkotsuzumi and the larger otsuzumi are used in
both noh and kabuki performances. The kotsuzumi is held on the right shoulder
and the player alters the tone by squeezing the laces. The otsuzumi is held on
the left thigh. Like all other traditional arts in Japan, there are several schools
of tsuzumi.