Finishing Up the Inadani Course

We're wrapping up both our workshop and our vacation (sigh). The last few days had us altering focus a little bit in the workshop. We (as in Art-sensei) decided on a song for us to perform, "Tonbane Daiko". This is a tune that uses the same rhythms as "Isami Goma", written by Grandmaster Daihachi Oguchi (no, not Grandmaster Flash), who is in most senses the originator of modern taiko. There is much hitting of drums, jumping and shouting. It's fun. So, because of this, we spent part of Thursday morning working on Miyake, because it's hard and hurts the most, then put together the performance framework for Tonbane.

Every morning starts with Shime-tying. I appreciate our bolt-shime more and more.

"Hyaa!"

Skewering our neighbor's belly buttons. That was the performance note.

In the afternoon, we had some koto and shakuhachi specialists come in to give us a basic demonstration on the two instruments. It was fascinating, and the shakuhachi, one of my favorite wind instruments, is also one of the hardest I've ever tried to play. It takes a lot of breath and even getting a reasonable sound takes a good amount of practice (more time than we had, for sure).

Shakuhachi

Koto, these are all standard 13-string koto.

Takada-sensei is a very talented shakuhachi-ist(?)

Koto, not just for geisha anymore.

After the workshops, we were treated to a small performance by the instructors. It was very nice, and they can play!

The koto is the quintessential classical Asian music sound.

Art Lee joined them on stage for the Peruvian folk song, "El Condor Paseo". You would know the melody thanks to Simon and Garfunkel

We finished for the day and had some errands to run before heading out to Misaka Ryoukan for a special dinner with the entire group. First we headed to the JR station to reserve seats on the bus for our return trip to Tokyo.

Parked outside the theater, the Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle

Iida station. The biggest barn south of Hokkaido.

We saw this guy on top of the bus stop shelters. No clue.

After errands were done and we were cleaned up, Art-sensei picked us up and drove us all out to Misaka Ryoukan, in Achi, which is about 30 minutes from downtown Iida, where we've been staying. It was a great evening of very good food and socializing. The "Iida people" (those of us staying in Iida) did not get a chance to hang with the rest of the group for the most part, so this was pretty special for us.

Lit up with anticipation

Sukiyaki, Tai, salad and suika (watermelon!)

Delicious soba noodles as an appetizer

Tai (red snapper. Look at those teeth!)

Now THAT is sukiyaki!

Made by the owner of the ryoukan himself, the food was absolutely delicious. Easily the best Japanese food we've had this trip. We ate for over an hour and a half, and hung around and talked for another hour after that. Most of us were fading at that point, so Art-sensei carted us back to Iida and our hotel. An early day on Friday. We're heading out to Asano Taiko for a workshop, some shopping and a taiko museum.

Sumi found this in the bathroom of the ryoukan.