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*Please note the volume.
Why not come and read the Tale of the Heike in Kamakura? In June, we will be reading the seventh volume of the Tale of the Heike, “Chikubushimamoude”. The venue is the KamakuraKomachian study hall, located in Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, about a 5-minute walk from Kamakura Station.
Click here for the 2024 Reading Class @ KamakuraKomachian schedule.
https://morinorijapan.com/recitation-class-at-kamakurakomachian
KamakuraKomachian is a learning center located behind Komachi Street, where classes and club activities such as programming and yoga are held.
Kamakura Komachian
2-6-16-2 Komachi, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture
WEB
https://r.goope.jp/kamakurakomachi/
Access to the Venue
https://r.goope.jp/kamakurakomachi/men
[about this course].
The reading course held at this venue is structured so that everyone reads together and listens to a recitation of The Tale of the Heike Listened to by Heike biwa accompaniment. This is not a course that teaches singing or Heike biwa, but we may be able to make some of the memorable turns of phrase sound a little more like you.
We will be using a text in hiragana. I will read the text first, and then you can read it out loud with me. Please don’t worry, as this is not a course for learning about history in depth or for perfecting your reading skills. I hope you will be able to spend a relaxing time reading the story out loud, not worrying about making mistakes, and focusing on how you feel.
This is a small course with a maximum of 6 students per class. The class is held in a tatami room, but chairs will be provided so there is no need to sit on the floor. At each section of the reading, you will hear a Heike biwa (Japanese lute) accompaniment. There are no restrictions on age or gender, and you can participate in just one class if you like. We also welcome solo participants. Please feel free to apply.
June 2024’s reading course is Chikubushimamoude
Chikubushimamoude is one of the more peaceful stories in the Tale of the Heike. Taira no Koremasa stops by Chikubushima on his way to war and offers a prayer. Koremasa plays a secret song in front of the gods, and at that moment, an emblem appears on his sleeve. Koremasa is a master of the biwa, but in this story, he doesn’t actually take his biwa to Chikubushima. The monks living on Chikubushima say to him, “We’ve heard you’re a master of the biwa,” and give him a biwa, so he plays it.
There is no explanation in the Chikubushimamoude as to why he didn’t take his biwa to Chikubushima, but if you read the 14th chapter of the Heike Monogatari, Volume 7, “Tsunemasamiyakoochi”, afterwards, you will be moved. When the Ichimonmiyakoochi is fleeing the capital, Tsunemasa leaves his precious biwa (Aoyama) in the care of the Omuro at Ninnaji so that it will not be caught up in the fighting. He doesn’t take his biwa with him to the battlefield. This shows that he has a deep love and respect for the biwa.
Chikubushimamoude, the act of stopping by Chikubushima to pray even in times of war, may be an expression of Keishou’s religious faith and desire for inner peace.
【Date and time】
Date: Friday, June 28, 2024
Time: 10:00-11:30 Doors open 9:40
Capacity: 6 persons
Program: “Chikubushimamoude” from The Tale of the Heike, Vol. 7
Type: Recitation + Storytelling (everyone listens to a recitation followed by Heike Biwa performance and storytelling)
Fee: 2200 yen (tax included)
Payment: Advance payment (credit card payment on the reservation website)
Application：https://select-type.com/ev/?ev=RTKEdRSe3Uo
Application deadline: Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Sorry, but this course is by appointment only. Due to miscommunication, we are not accepting reservations by email, phone, or at the venue. We apologize for the inconvenience, but please make reservations through the application website.
It is a secluded place, so please check the KamakuraKomachian website for directions.
We look forward to meeting you.
