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Kurokami

黒髪

[Genre]Jiuta
[Style]Hauta
[School]Ikuta Ryû - 生田
[Composed]Shakuhachi - 18th Century
Unknown - Koto
Koide Ichijûrô - Shamisen

History (Tsuge Gen'ichi):

Kurokami ('Jet-black Hair') is thought originally to have been a jiuta piece an anonymous composer. It is, however, better known today as a nagauta piece. The nagauta version, arranged by Kineya Sakichi (dates unknown), was used as a meriyasu piece in the kabuki play, Oakinai hirugakojima, premiered at Edo's Nakamura-Za theater in 1784. It is this version, which was brought from Edo and popularized in Osaka towards the end of the eighteenth century.

Poem (translated by Tsuge Gen'ichi)

It is the pillow
We shared that night,
When I let down
My jet-black hair.
That is the cause of my lament
When I sleep alone
With my single robe
To cover me.
'You are mine,' he said,

Not knowing the heart
Of a simple girl.
The voice of a temple bell,
Sounds into the quiet night.

Awakening from an empty dream
In the morning,
How lovely, sweet,
And helpless is my longing.
Before I know it
The silver snow has piled up.
Kurokami no
musuboretaru
omoi wo ba
tokete neta yo no
makura koso
hitori nuru yo no
ada-makura
sode wa katashiku
tsuma ja to iute

(ainote)

guchi na onago no
kokoro to shirade
shin to fuketaru
kane no koe

Yuube no yume no
kesa samete
yukashi natsukashi
yarusenaya
tsumoru to shirade
tsumoru shirayuki

Kurokami appears on the following albums

Album Artist
Play ButtonAraki Kodo III and Fukuda Eika - Collection of Famous Performances - 02 Voice : Fukuda Eika
Shamisen : Fukuda Eika
Shakuhachi : Araki Kodō III
Koto : Kawada Tō

Dream Picture Shakuhachi : Gunnar Jinmei Linder
Play ButtonFascination of the Koto 2 Voice : Yonekawa Toshiko
Shamisen : Yonekawa Toshiko
Koto : Yonekawa Megumi
Kurokomi (Black hair)

Composed by Koide Itizyuro I in the late 18th century. This short and melodious song depicts the sadness of a woman sleeping alone.

Fujii Kunie, The World of Shamisen and Jiuta Singing 1 Voice : Fujii Kunie
Shamisen : Fujii Kunie

Fukami Satomi - Sokyoku Jiuta Shu - 3 Voice : Fukami Satomi
Shamisen : Fukami Satomi

Hirai Sumiko no Sekai Voice : Hirai Sumiko
Shamisen : Hirai Sumiko

How to Play the Shamisen and the Koto Voice : Kikuhara Hatsuko
Shamisen : Kikuhara Hatsuko

How to Play the Shamisen and the Koto (Disc 2) Shamisen : Yokota Fumiko
Koto : Nakajima Keiko

Inoue Michiko no Shigei - Volume 5 Voice : Inoue Michiko
Shamisen : Inoue Michiko
Koto : Mori Yūji

Jiuta no Sekai - 5 Koto : Tomiyama Mieko
Voice : Tomiyama Seikin I
Shamisen : Tomiyama Seikin I

Kinko Ryū Shakuhachi Sankyoku Meikyoku Sen - Dai Ichi Shū - Vol 2 Shakuhachi : Yamaguchi Gorō
Voice : Fujii Kunie
Shamisen : Fujii Kunie

Kinko Shakuhachi Gaikyoku Anthology Volume 1 - First Level - tape 3 Shakuhachi : Kawase Junsuke III

Koten Sōkyoku no Shinzui Volume 2 Shamisen : Kikuhara Hatsuko
Koto : Nankōbō Tamami

Kurokami Koto : Yanagisawa Rie
Shakuhachi : Clive Bell
I tied up my black hair with strong feelings in my heart.
My hair was loose on the pillow at night.
I was alone.
He never truly loved me.
Only the temple bell was heard in the still night.
This morning I left my love still dreaming.
The snow is getting deeper, deeper
and does not feel my sadness.

Melody of Japan - Stillness of Winter Shamisen : Hanabusa Harue
Koto : Yui Ensemble

Sankyoku Gassō Dai Zenshū vol. 1 (三曲合奏大全集1) Koto : Takizawa Ikuko
Shakuhachi : Yamaguchi Gorō
Voice : Fujii Kunie
Shamisen : Fujii Kunie

Sankyoku Gassō Dai Zenshū vol. 1 (三曲合奏大全集1) Koto : Takizawa Ikuko
Voice : Fujii Kunie
Shamisen : Fujii Kunie
Shakuhachi : Yamamoto Hōzan

Sankyoku Gassō Dai Zenshū vol. 2 (三曲合奏大全集2) Koto : Takizawa Ikuko
Voice : Fujii Kunie
Shamisen : Fujii Kunie
Kokyū : Kawase Hakushū

Sankyoku Gassō Dai Zenshū vol. 2 (三曲合奏大全集2) Shakuhachi : Yamaguchi Gorō
Shakuhachi : Yamamoto Hōzan

Sō no Shiori (Ikuta Ryū) vol 2 Voice : Kikuhara Hatsuko
Shamisen : Kikuhara Hatsuko

Sō no Shiori (Ikuta Ryū) vol 7 Voice : Inoue Michiko
Shamisen : Inoue Michiko
Voice : Fujii Kunie
Koto : Fujii Kunie

Sōkyoku Jiuta Gassō-shū (disc 4) Shakuhachi : Araki Kodō V
Voice : Mochitsuki Masako
Shamisen : Mochitsuki Masako

Sokyoku Jiuta Taikei 17 Voice : Fukuda Eika
Shamisen : Fukuda Eika
Shakuhachi : Araki Kodō III
Koto : Kawada Tō

The Flower - Yoko Hiraoka and David Wheeler Shakuhachi : David Kansuke Wheeler
Shamisen : Hiraoka Yoko
Play ButtonTogashi Noriko - 03 Shamisen : Togashi Noriko
Play ButtonTomiyama Kiyotaka's World Voice : Tomiyama Seikin II
Shamisen : Tomiyama Seikin II
Koto : Tomiyama Junko
Black Hair

This composition is attributed to Koide Itizyuro (died 1800). The song text depicts the sadness of a woman who has to sleep alone. A koto part is added to the original jiuta version.

Yoshida Seifu Collection of Famous Performances volume 2 Koto : Yoshida Kyōko
Shakuhachi : Yoshida Seifū