Kyoto University Alumni “Chidori-Kai”

In 1901 (Meiji 34), Masao Yokoyama, a shakuhachi player from Tokyo and student of law at Kyoto University, founded the Chidori Company, naming it after his pseudonym, and this marked the beginning of the Chidorikai. Back then, the Chidorikai mainly taught at the Myoan School, inherited the classical tradition of Chikudo that had been passed down in the Kanto region, and played a leading role in the Kansai shakuhachi world. It has continued to carry out steady research activities under the leadership of excellent masters, such as professor of engineering Dr. Jiro Hamabe and Rosui Yamagishi I. However, these activities were temporarily halted. The activities resumed in 1960 (Showa 35) under the late Masayuki Yamagishi (Rosui II), a student of the Faculty of Letters at Kyoto University, and they continue to this day. The Kinko School originates from Kinko Kurosawa, a shakuhachi master of the Genroku era (late 17th century), and has transmitted many classics and moved forward with the flow of history. The Chidorikai is a “shakuhachi club” that aims to inherit this spirit of the Chikudo path and apply it in today’s world. Unfortunately, activities by current students have been temporarily suspended since the 2001 (Heisei 13) admissions, but the alumni association regularly holds meetings in Kyoto, Tokyo, and elsewhere.

[Year of founding]
2012

[Chairperson]
Tatsuro Kuroda (graduated in 1978, Faculty of Engineering)

[Number of members]
About 30

[Secretariat]
Secretary General: Hiroaki Fukada

[Main events]
General meeting, social gathering (once a year)