History

The following is a translated excerpt from Kinpu-ryu Shakuhachi, a publication of the Aomori Folk Cultural Treasure Preservation Society, 2011.

In 1815, the 9th feudal lord of the Hirosaki (a.k.a. Tsugaru) domain (Tsugaru Yasuchika, 1765~1833) sent an official by the name of Yoshizaki Hachiya・Kodo (1798~1835) to Ichigatsu temple in Shimosa, which today overlaps Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures, to learn shakuhachi. Ichigatsu-ji was a Zen temple of the Fuke sect, and is said to have been founded by Kin-sen, a priest from Song dynasty China who came and settled in Japan. During the Edo period, Samurai could enter the temple as komuso priests, playing shakuhachi and travelling the countryside. In the 4th year of the Meiji era (1871), the Fuke sect was abolished.

The book Kinpu-ryu Shakuhachi Kyoku Hiden Kyokufu (The Secret Music of Kinpu-ryu Shakuhachi, published in Meiji 45) has the following to say concerning the transmission of the tradition:

Lord Tsugaru Yasuchika, a master of many arts, excelled especially at shakuhachi. He always regretted that there were no accomplished shakuhachi players in Hirosaki; thus, he sent an official, Yoshizaki Hachiya, to Ichigatsu-ji to learn shakuhachi. Yoshizaki departed promptly, and upon completing his studies in July of 1818, returned to Hirosaki and gave a demonstration of all that he had learned. Lord Yasuchiku was so thrilled that he ordered all of his performers to learn as well. He purchased a 1.7 shakuhachi, but especially favored his 1.85 shakuhachi...

Lord Tsugaru Yasuchika was adopted from Hirosaki’s neighboring Kuroishi clan to serve as the successor to the 8th lord of the Tsugaru clan, Nobuakira. Yasuchika became head of the clan in 1791, retiring in 1825. He died in Edo (present day Tokyo) in 1833. His rule marked a time of change... Yasuchika, as mentioned above, excelled in many arts, including poetry (tanka, haiku, etc.). He established the Keiko-kan, a school that still stands today as To-ou Gijuku, in 1796. He led the way in including gagaku (court music) as an extracurricular activity. Thanks to his interest in the arts, the Kinpu-ryu Shakuhachi tradition was preserved and handed down right up to the present.
The quote above continues:

Yoshizaki Hachiya Kodo, bamboo name Ippuko, was ordered to study shakuhachi under Kurihara Einosuke at Ichigatsu-ji... He died on February 1st, 1836. He was succeeded in the Tsugaru region by Ban Yuzo Noriyuki (1798-1875), Nonomiya Jizaemon / Gyokusen, Nyui … / Getsuei (1822-1895), Tsushima Kenshiro / Kosho (1858-1933), Orito Seisuke / Nyogetsu (1865-1947), Nagano Yujiro / Kyokuei, and so on.

Originally, only those of the samurai class were permitted to play Kinpu-ryu shakuhachi. Thankfully, that is not the case today. In 1981, with the help of Uchiyama Reigetsu (author of Nezasaha Onezasa-ryu Kinpu-ryu Shakuhachi Honkyoku-den), four holders were designated as holders in order to preserve this dying art as it exists in Hirosaki. Reigetsu himself was to be designated as well, but passed away just two months before the ceremony. The first generation of holders consisted of Goto Seizo / Kanpu, Matsuoka Koichiro / Kindo, Matsuoka Shunjiro / Chikufu, and Matsuyama Sadanosuke. The current generation consists of Sudo Shuho (student of Goto / Kanpu sensei, designated in 1997), Yamada Fumio (student of Matsuoka / Shunjiro sensei, designated in 2006), Hirao Yuzo / Chikutomo, and Fujita Masahiro / Chikushin (both students of Goto / Kanpu sensei, designated in 2011).