Page 391 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

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the left hand, placed on the right shoulder, 316 Nokan flute (accompanied by case) lacquered storage case, often decorated
and struck with the fingers of the right bamboo, bark, lacquer with maki-e and raden (inlaid shell). The
hand. length of ndkan 39.5 (15 Vz) case for cat. 316 is decorated with a design
Cat. 314 is decorated with a dragon Edo period, i8th century of gold maki-e grapes on black lacquer.
and cloud design on a background of am- Eisei Bunko, Tokyo Grapes, a symbol of fertility used as a mo-
ber lacquer densely sprinkled with gold tif from as early as the Nara period, were
(nashiji). The dragon, depicted in raised also popular for decorative designs in the
maki-e, winds around the drum among early modern era. The case for the other
gold and silver maki-e clouds. Cat. 315 is 317 Ndkan flute, named Yaegiku ndkan, cat. 317, bears a maki-e design of
decorated with a spring design of rafts (accompanied by case) plovers flying over waves, a motif seen
with cherry blossoms in gold maki-e on a bamboo, bark, lacquer from the medieval era on that recalls many
black lacquered ground. This kotsuzumi is length of ndkan 39.5 (15 ^2) poems of the Heian period, such as this
accompanied by a storage box decorated Edo period, i8th century one:
with a design in maki-e on black lacquer of Eisei Bunko, Tokyo
running water and maple leaves. The de- At Shio Mountain
sign alludes to many poems from the on Sashide shore
Heian period regarding the Tatsuta River The ndkan is a transverse bamboo flute dwells a plover;
with a mouth
holes,
hole and seven finger
(Nara Prefecture), famous for the autumn May your reign last
foliage along its banks. One such poem wound with thinly split bark. A metal eight thousand ages, it sings. KS
piece is fitted
on the end near the
mouth
reads:
hole, and many flutes are named after the
In the Tatsuta River design on the metal. The nokan is the only
red leaves flow wind instrument among the instruments
in disorder; used in No, but it plays few melodies;
if I cross, the brocade rather, it functions as a rhythm instru-
mil be cut through the middle. KS ment. The ndkan is equipped with a black-
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