The Biwa is probably one of my favorite Japanese instruments. The sound it makes is so captivating and engaging. It makes me feel like I’m charging through a field on horseback towards a burning castle to fight.
I wanted to do this instrument justice since I made a really bad copy of a biwa for a project. Thank you for making this video so I am able to learn it’s history.
Interesting. In Ukraine, we had a similar tradition of blind vagrant musicians. We called them kobzar or kobzari in plural (but I will use English rules of forming plural form later on, just for the convenience) , after their instrument of choice - kobza, an Ukrainian lute like instrument. Kobzars often also used banduras (an instrument, visually similar to kobza, but different in technique of play. And it has A LOT of strings, no, really, google that shit) and hurdy-gurdies. Same as the Japanese monks, kobzars were forming their guilds with special meetings and rituals, they even had their specific professional dialect, unintelligible for ordinary people. Well, I'm not entirely sure, if we actually believed in kobzars having some kind of supernatural power, but their impact on Ukrainian culture and history is huge. Just like their Japanese counterparts, kobzar songs (called duma or dumy) were mostly historic and heroic epics, with occasional philosophical ones. Common themes for this epics were cossack times, famous leaders and warriors or notorious haidamaka's rebellions, especially the major one, which we call Koliyivshchyna. And for a quite a long time kobzars were more then just blind bards. They were guardians and keepers of Ukrainian history and national identity, inspiration for rebellions and national movements, heck, even the almanac of our best known and beloved poet Taras Shevchenko is named "Kobzar" (by the way, Shevchenko is himself often referred to as Kobzar). And also, interestingly enough, kobzars were also somewhat like newsmen and messengers (well, no wonder, like, they were nearly the only people in the country, who COULD freely wander around without raising any suspicion, others were just serfs and couldn't change their disposition without their master's permission). But, unfortunately, when Ukraine became part of the Soviet Union, a lot of the kobzars were arrested as baggers, and some starved to death during the infamous 30th femen. And though nowerdays we're trying to resurrect their art, the damage is done and a lot of poetry and traditions are lost.
Believe me, we're REALLY proud of this big boy. I'm not sure if Scotts are as obsessed with their bagpipes as Ukrainians are with kobzas and banduras. Here these instruments are pretty iconic. And they actually have quite a distinguishable sound too. And, just a little fun fact, in Ukraine and neighbouring countries word "bandura" is often used as a euphemism for something ridiculously large and/or heavy, and therefore uncomfortable.
Fascinating. Thank you for all this information, my special interests are the bardic tradition in the Celtic tradition and Shamanism. Back in the 80's I knew a Bandura player, his partner sang "white voice", unforgettable.
I find the biwa’s sound very fascinating, not just because of how different the playing technique is from the pipa, but also the way it sounds like a cross between a sitar and a Saraswati veena with a lot of reverb despite not having sympathetic strings like a sitar does. I wonder if there’s some kind of complex harmonic resonance going on between the strings.
you might like a channel called Nini Music, not a Biwa but a Chinese pipe... and of course Wagakki Band if you like Shamisen and other Japanese traditional instruments
I was listening to Takemitsu's November Steps, then I started to do research on Biwa. Now, watching this video, you circled back around to Takemitsu, and I was like ooh! Then you said November Steps, and I'm back where I started. 😊
i just watch the movie 'inu-oh' really surprised that the blind monk playing biwa is a real thing also the heike monogatari was mentionned. the movie is incredible, as the biwa is.
As a fellow musician, it is great to know more about other culture's instruments! Aaaaaand, the answer to the quiz is Sunekosuri! Please bless me twice with your grace, oh RNG Kami-sama! 😂😂😂😂
This practice is actually very similar to what was happening in Ukraine up untill the 1920s. Elderly men, often blind and sometimes guided by a young boy, were travelling the land and signing historical ballads and lyrical pieces, playing the instrument called " kobza", hence being titled " kobzar". The tradition probably goes back beyond 17th century and ceased when in the 1920s the soviets had theese men assembled for the fake gathering and then executed. fc.vseosvita.ua/001a3k-0053/003.jpg
You got me on the “they had to gouge their eyes out to show devotion” bit, my jaw literally dropped for about 3 seconds and then you said jk. I never thought about how close “sects” and “sex” sound alike.
Knew it!!! Your channel got hijacked again !!! I called it 😁 The answer: sunekosuri - shin rubber (I picture it as one of my cats that won't leave me the heck alone and have tripped me.up many times)
@@Linfamy see anything where it's not the usual oni or yokai or folk tales for procrastinators ends up being you kidnapped in a corner and someone takes over 🤣😂🤣😂
@@TairyuShakuhachi Well linfamy keeps forgetting to lock the doors...makes me wonder how he can keep all the yokais inside if he forgets to lock the doors.
Always love hearing about instruments! As for the answer, that'd be the sunekosuri. Typing it out I find it amusing to see the work neko in there, which I'm pretty sure can also mean cat, so it's as if they tried to explain a cat's behavior on them being yokai or something like that
The name of the yokai that likes to rub up against your legs on rainy nights to make you stumble is Sunekosuri, a yokai that sounds allot like a cat if you ask me. It is interesting that Biwa were used for early storytelling performances, because many MMORPGS I plays, I always choose the lute to play music on for stories which resembles a biwa. It's almost nostalgic. 😊
I had no idea what Yokai, you were talking about. Then I proceeded to look it up, gotta say I'm now going to be looking for one at the animal shelter :p
People of UA-cam: Do you have recommendations for Meta/rock bands that uses traditional Japanese instruments like Biwa or Taiko drums? I just know Wagakki :'(
the biwa music sounded like the veena music,one of the most classical instruments in India.Just like how Benzaiten holded the biwa,her Hindu counterpart,the goddess Saraswati had the veena in her hands.She is also the goddess of music,art,philosophy and knowledge.Her consort the god of creation,Brahma,who is one of the gods of the Trimurthi(the divine triumvirate) along with Vishnu and Shiva
Sunekosuri! Not sure if I spelled it right, but it was the doggy one about 8 minutes in to your last video. BTW I just love this channel. I discovered it about a month ago and finally got all caught up on the videos. It's really rounding out my understanding of my favorite anime and manga, especially Noragami!
First pipas invented in the Afghanistan, Gandhara Culture in B.C. In the persia its known as "barbad" i think "pi-pa" comes from "bar-bad" (meaning: duck headed instrument)
I knew it was a loot. I heard a trance song that uses a biwa, I had no idea what it was called before. I started liking the biwa because of anime. Also the DDR song Tsugaru. The yo kai that rubs against your legs is The sunekosuri.
The Biwa was stated as being one of the inspirations for the Shwazin in the game Warframe. I mean it was not the only inspiration but it did have a big part in how the fictional Shwazin turned out in game.
Patrick Lafcadio Hearn The outline of this story is summarized in a book called kaidan. The edit was Patrick Lafcadio Hearn(Yakumo Koizumi), and it was his wife who taught him.
@@atsukorichards1675 the end part of the story He was a samurai of the Suwa Domain. One day, a traveling priest with his head on his sleeve came to Suwa. He thought that the bad guys had come to Suwa. It is said that it was a samurai who inspected the head of the "Rokuro kubi“.
Hi may I know if theres any nice Biwa albums to recommend? I dont mind biwa fusion too. I love the biwa sound but I'd prefer to have just the biwa sound and no singing......
1:21 Biwa-san is always sad
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I is the 499th person to like this video
@IngLouisSchreurs Kumada Kahori is incredible,.
Pin me plz
And your biwa music is amazing
Hey where can I get a cheap biwa to practice with? I can only find 200+ buck ones and i don't wanna spend a ton for a hobby
The Biwa is probably one of my favorite Japanese instruments. The sound it makes is so captivating and engaging. It makes me feel like I’m charging through a field on horseback towards a burning castle to fight.
I like that imagery
Yea it’s the shamisen when played rough it just give me so much energy that I feel I could go up again samurai and win
Yes me too@@beondinsane905
I deeply enjoy this whole series detailing instruments. Please keep it up.
Awesome =)
YAY!
After playing Sekiro, the Japanese instrument I'm most curious about is definitely the Shamisen, would love a video on those.
COMING IN HOT!
Check this video "clozee - koto"
FuzzyThoughts Never in my life have I ever said GOD DAMN IT I SHOT THE WIND AGAIN and meant it
Bro shamisen the best Japanese Instrument
111th 👍
Linfamy: "I'll conquer OSP!"
Other channels: "I'm already conquering Linfamy"
lol
Ah dammit 😒
Finally some recognition! The satsuma biwa’s my fav instrument and I’m happy that Kumada Kahori is in this
It was one of the first instruments I really wanted to highlight. Such an amazing instrument.
I wanted to do this instrument justice since I made a really bad copy of a biwa for a project. Thank you for making this video so I am able to learn it’s history.
It's nice to see your giving biwa some love. Most people know about the koto and the shamisen but not much about the biwa
Biwa is life.
In dororo there is a biwa playing slayer called biwamaru
Such a great name smh
Ikr
Interesting. In Ukraine, we had a similar tradition of blind vagrant musicians. We called them kobzar or kobzari in plural (but I will use English rules of forming plural form later on, just for the convenience) , after their instrument of choice - kobza, an Ukrainian lute like instrument. Kobzars often also used banduras (an instrument, visually similar to kobza, but different in technique of play. And it has A LOT of strings, no, really, google that shit) and hurdy-gurdies. Same as the Japanese monks, kobzars were forming their guilds with special meetings and rituals, they even had their specific professional dialect, unintelligible for ordinary people. Well, I'm not entirely sure, if we actually believed in kobzars having some kind of supernatural power, but their impact on Ukrainian culture and history is huge. Just like their Japanese counterparts, kobzar songs (called duma or dumy) were mostly historic and heroic epics, with occasional philosophical ones. Common themes for this epics were cossack times, famous leaders and warriors or notorious haidamaka's rebellions, especially the major one, which we call Koliyivshchyna. And for a quite a long time kobzars were more then just blind bards. They were guardians and keepers of Ukrainian history and national identity, inspiration for rebellions and national movements, heck, even the almanac of our best known and beloved poet Taras Shevchenko is named "Kobzar" (by the way, Shevchenko is himself often referred to as Kobzar). And also, interestingly enough, kobzars were also somewhat like newsmen and messengers (well, no wonder, like, they were nearly the only people in the country, who COULD freely wander around without raising any suspicion, others were just serfs and couldn't change their disposition without their master's permission). But, unfortunately, when Ukraine became part of the Soviet Union, a lot of the kobzars were arrested as baggers, and some starved to death during the infamous 30th femen. And though nowerdays we're trying to resurrect their art, the damage is done and a lot of poetry and traditions are lost.
That's interesting! Never seen that instrument before =)
Believe me, we're REALLY proud of this big boy. I'm not sure if Scotts are as obsessed with their bagpipes as Ukrainians are with kobzas and banduras. Here these instruments are pretty iconic. And they actually have quite a distinguishable sound too. And, just a little fun fact, in Ukraine and neighbouring countries word "bandura" is often used as a euphemism for something ridiculously large and/or heavy, and therefore uncomfortable.
Kobza is Turkic word. (Kobuz) Turkics called alot of instrument as kobuz, khomus, kobuza, khomus etc...
Fascinating. Thank you for all this information, my special interests are the bardic tradition in the Celtic tradition and Shamanism.
Back in the 80's I knew a Bandura player, his partner sang "white voice", unforgettable.
This video made watching the new anime “Heike Monogatari” with the main character named “Biwa” that much easier to understand, well done!
I find the biwa’s sound very fascinating, not just because of how different the playing technique is from the pipa, but also the way it sounds like a cross between a sitar and a Saraswati veena with a lot of reverb despite not having sympathetic strings like a sitar does. I wonder if there’s some kind of complex harmonic resonance going on between the strings.
It was a typo, it should've been biwa's sound but I hit d by accident and didn't notice it until now.
Everyone gangsta till that blind monk sends you to the Infinity Castle.
I need a rock band with someone playing a biwa instead of a regular electric guitars
you might like a channel called Nini Music, not a Biwa but a Chinese pipe... and of course Wagakki Band if you like Shamisen and other Japanese traditional instruments
Thank you linfamy, you always talk about everything I wanna know about
It really made my heartbeat increase hearing the biwa. I do enjoy the music and look forward to more knowledge of this instrument 🎻.
I wish I learned the Biwa.
I was listening to Takemitsu's November Steps, then I started to do research on Biwa. Now, watching this video, you circled back around to Takemitsu, and I was like ooh! Then you said November Steps, and I'm back where I started. 😊
i just watch the movie 'inu-oh' really surprised that the blind monk playing biwa is a real thing also the heike monogatari was mentionned. the movie is incredible, as the biwa is.
I think the blind monks used this because... They were blind?
Nah, that's probably too straightforward.
they were Lewd priests instead of Lute priests first, then they went blind by overjerking. So now we have Blind monks!
conspiracy
Why are you in the comments section of literally all UA-camrs??
@@urmumlol3360 I know right!?!??!
Get a moustache!!
As a fellow musician, it is great to know more about other culture's instruments!
Aaaaaand, the answer to the quiz is Sunekosuri!
Please bless me twice with your grace, oh RNG Kami-sama! 😂😂😂😂
This practice is actually very similar to what was happening in Ukraine up untill the 1920s. Elderly men, often blind and sometimes guided by a young boy, were travelling the land and signing historical ballads and lyrical pieces, playing the instrument called " kobza", hence being titled " kobzar". The tradition probably goes back beyond 17th century and ceased when in the 1920s the soviets had theese men assembled for the fake gathering and then executed. fc.vseosvita.ua/001a3k-0053/003.jpg
:(
Kobuz is Turkic word.
You got me on the “they had to gouge their eyes out to show devotion” bit, my jaw literally dropped for about 3 seconds and then you said jk.
I never thought about how close “sects” and “sex” sound alike.
lol XD
Ended up here from watching Inu-Oh, this video gave a lot of real cool depth to what's already an amazing movie. Thank you!
Dororo has a guy like thus if i remember right
lol
Also in demon slayer, theres a powerful demon who also uses biwa
@@frootlops3182 yeah
Totally forgot bout her. But thankfully she ded now
Man. Of. Pure. Culture.
@@Cass_ag finally she ded. Muzan jackson killed her.
Knew it!!! Your channel got hijacked again !!! I called it 😁
The answer: sunekosuri - shin rubber (I picture it as one of my cats that won't leave me the heck alone and have tripped me.up many times)
Haha you did call it 😂
@@Linfamy see anything where it's not the usual oni or yokai or folk tales for procrastinators ends up being you kidnapped in a corner and someone takes over 🤣😂🤣😂
I am crafty
@@TairyuShakuhachi Well linfamy keeps forgetting to lock the doors...makes me wonder how he can keep all the yokais inside if he forgets to lock the doors.
YoU WiN! 🎉🎉🎉
Shoot me an email at linfamy1 @ gmail.com to claim your prize ;)
Linfamy! You are held captive!
Okai, do not blink if you need help!
.
.
.
HE DIDNT BLINK!
HE NEEDS HELP!
WE NEED TO RAID RENZOH!!
raid, good luck. I got an army of blind monks i'll just tell them to go that way... oh wait..
O_O
The answer is Sunekosuri
Who wouldn't want to tie up Linfamy and keep him forever? He's smart, funny and kinda hot.
;)
That tie up part is unnecessary tho
Wall
The level of badassery is wonderful.
There's a sore lack of Linfamy's comedic delivery.
You do get to hear my bedroom voice. Mm..mm..mmmf
@@Linfamy I thought we were keeping that a secret?
Another music one! Thanks, these are fascinating. Love you both!
The Kumada Kahori video is definitely worth looking at. The heart makes a good translator with music, especially one that is as enchanting as hers.
Another day, another time that he takes over the channel.
😒
Linfamy is Taira and I am Genji
Always love hearing about instruments!
As for the answer, that'd be the sunekosuri. Typing it out I find it amusing to see the work neko in there, which I'm pretty sure can also mean cat, so it's as if they tried to explain a cat's behavior on them being yokai or something like that
Sunekosuri (脛擦)[Shin Rubber (As in one who rubs)] is the yokai that trips people up on rainy nights
The two people who disliked this video are heartless
The name of the yokai that likes to rub up against your legs on rainy nights to make you stumble is Sunekosuri, a yokai that sounds allot like a cat if you ask me.
It is interesting that Biwa were used for early storytelling performances, because many MMORPGS I plays, I always choose the lute to play music on for stories which resembles a biwa. It's almost nostalgic. 😊
I love these history behind the instrument segments! I'ts all great but yeah :) Biwa time!
I am really glad you like them. Linfamy does an amazing job with the animation.
This is only the beggining of the hijackings.
Linfamy's channel: 5$ to hijack! You could ruin this man's whole career!
Coming to stores near you!
i ve been waiting this sound! thank you!
Enjoyed the history on Biwa. Biwa and Shakuhachi bring out the most emotion inside me.
This comment makes me happy. I hope there will be more instruments to stir up the feels.
Linfamy biceps are my new favourite measuring unit
Good idea
I believe The yokai in question is the sunekosuri.
(Btw love your vids 😀)
I love his videos too
The shin rubbing yokai! The “rubber”. He trips you like a needy kitty or pup.
I had a boyfriend like that... omg he's a yokai! Lol
He kept tripping you? :O
Andrea Shore Huh, so needy that he was a speed bump. There’s something to say about that. “Step above“? I’ll go with that.
Nah he was needy lol
Catching up with this series, it’s excellent!
Have another comment for the algorithm.
lol
The Japanese version of the wandering Cowboy guitarist
I had no idea what Yokai, you were talking about. Then I proceeded to look it up, gotta say I'm now going to be looking for one at the animal shelter :p
Good luck!
Ahh a biwa used for storytelling in Japanese!
Okay the Biwa I can get behind. Those poor crickets.
lol
The answer is: Sunekosuri! The little cute ghostly dog. Your merchandising is really cool! Keep it up with new products.
People of UA-cam: Do you have recommendations for Meta/rock bands that uses traditional Japanese instruments like Biwa or Taiko drums? I just know Wagakki :'(
Did you know there was a Biwa playing woman that could use music to move a house?!
That song hypnotized me
Inu-Oh watchers rise, and get recommended Biwa content. Nice!
I'm not sure but this reminds me of that blind musician from "Samurai Champloo".
the biwa music sounded like the veena music,one of the most classical instruments in India.Just like how Benzaiten holded the biwa,her Hindu counterpart,the goddess Saraswati had the veena in her hands.She is also the goddess of music,art,philosophy and knowledge.Her consort the god of creation,Brahma,who is one of the gods of the Trimurthi(the divine triumvirate) along with Vishnu and Shiva
WHO IS THIS NEW MAN? SINCE WHEN? WHAT
and I came here after Demon Slayer lol but learned a good amount here thank you!
Cool, I was thinking of making Benzaiten sama. This video is informative.
SO BEAUTIFUL 😩😩😩😩😩😩
0:45 pretty sure this song is Honno-ji
Now biwa called Nishki biwa （錦琵琶）
Sunekosuri! Not sure if I spelled it right, but it was the doggy one about 8 minutes in to your last video.
BTW I just love this channel. I discovered it about a month ago and finally got all caught up on the videos. It's really rounding out my understanding of my favorite anime and manga, especially Noragami!
Wow, you watched all the vids?
@@Linfamy all the Japanese history and culture ones, yeah!
"Hey man, I've been thinking of learning a new instrument and Biwas are kind of cool..."
"Alright, off with your eyes!"
First pipas invented in the Afghanistan, Gandhara Culture in B.C. In the persia its known as "barbad" i think "pi-pa" comes from "bar-bad" (meaning: duck headed instrument)
The thing that rubs up legs (and hopefully only legs) is the sunekosuri
I want one
Someone: I bet you can't play a biwa blindfolded and drink at the same time.
Me: [the thumbnail]
No. 9 sunekosuri or shin rubber「脛擦り」脛=sune= leg/shin; 擦り=rubbing, scrubbing, scraping
It's those shin rubbing yokai they rub my feet like you during each video, with your humour and make me trip from my sofa
That's why my nickname is the Foot Massager
@@Linfamy are you good at massaging 😛
Sunekosuri is the answer!!!
Little invisible puppy just wanna cuddle!!!
I knew it was a loot. I heard a trance song that uses a biwa, I had no idea what it was called before. I started liking the biwa because of anime. Also the DDR song Tsugaru. The yo kai that rubs against your legs is The sunekosuri.
I replayed the video to hear the biwa sound
It's not bad :D
So the blind monks were the precursors of the idols. Like the group Heike Biwa 48? Good video!
First , I got the notification while watching your videos
So close =)
6:30 the different attack moves of the blind monk class
One of the most annoying yokai in Nioh, please make more videos like this. Very fascinating.
ugh facts
Im still replaying that nani
That is the only way to do it.
0:45 Desert levels ost be like
Please do more folk tales. My three year old loves them and so do I!
he is 5 now
Sunekosori!!! Totally know there was one that haunted my first workplace. We had a ghost named Burt, and said that it was his dog. True story.
Do Shamisen next please!!!
Coming in hot!
The Biwa was stated as being one of the inspirations for the Shwazin in the game Warframe. I mean it was not the only inspiration but it did have a big part in how the fictional Shwazin turned out in game.
wow
Please, do the Shamisen next!
coming in hot
Patrick Lafcadio Hearn
The outline of this story is summarized in a book called kaidan.
The edit was Patrick Lafcadio Hearn(Yakumo Koizumi), and it was his wife who taught him.
Thank you for the information. The story is called Miminashi-Houichi (耳無芳一) by 小泉八雲.
@@atsukorichards1675
My ancestors are involved in the story of the "rokurokubi".
That sounds very interesting! How?
@@atsukorichards1675
the end part of the story
He was a samurai of the Suwa Domain. One day, a traveling priest with his head on his sleeve came to Suwa.
He thought that the bad guys had come to Suwa. It is said that it was a samurai who inspected the head of the "Rokuro kubi“.
Oh no linfamy you're tied up again
he likes it
:O
So interesting to watch this, after the movie Inu Oh!
Minamoto...Taira...Kagekiyo...
yesh
Looks like Gibson took some inspiration from that headstock angle
Hoichi The Earless played the Biwa. Great story!
Ooh! Sunekosuri! It’s in one of my Yokai books from Matthew Meyer haha
The Sunekosuri. It was cute!
Hi may I know if theres any nice Biwa albums to recommend? I dont mind biwa fusion too. I love the biwa sound but I'd prefer to have just the biwa sound and no singing......
This really reminds of that Biwa lady from Kimetsu No Yaba............... Oh spoiler.....
Yeah totally
But she
Ded
oof
Nakime,right?
Shure Shawn used a "sunekosuri" to lock you up. Gotta watch that dog.
i like shins
Didn't know sunekosuri could do that
Sunekosuri
If I win I would just like for my name to be up and that the last person to give the right answer to get there pick.
So nice of you
Happy new year!
Happy new year!!
@@Linfamy you reacted im a big fan
@@jackgoet865 😁👍
Now the story of Hoichi the Earless makes much more sense!
:-)
I love the biwa since seeing it in on that old ghost movie with the blind monk
One of the many bards who I studied in my past private personal time for real world skills.
Linfamy: *makes a video*
Renzoh: It's free real estate. :3
But when low, sell when high
"What kind of music do you like?" "Steve rock"
I'm feeling some Avatar the last Airbender vibes