Hibari (雲雀) , uta-yo Shinobue review

"Hi, Yuka-san! I would like to buy a new uta-yo Shinobue. My budget is SGD 200. Could you advise me a good fue which I can buy within my budget? Thanks!"

I have been asked this kind of question many times.

As I mentioned in my post  "My Shinobue", I am a Miyako (京師) user so I always push them to buy Miyako first. However, I can understand that some people have their own budget when they buy a Shinobue.

So, today I will introduce a nice uta-yo Shinobue which you can buy at an affordable price.

The name of the Shinobue that I would like to introduce is "Hibari" (雲雀).

邦楽調 雲雀 hogaku-cho（uta-yo）Hibari
from Ootuka Chikukan gakki Corp.

邦楽調　雲雀 / hogaku-cho (uta-yo) Hibari

Manufacturer's details:

有限会社 大塚竹管楽器
Ootuka Chikukan gakki Corporation　
http://www.fueya.com

"Hibari" is suitable for those people who;

1. want to purchase a real uta-yo (唄用) Shinobue which is tuned in Twelve-tone Japanese scale (日本十二律*).

2. are looking for an uta-yo Shinobue within the budget of up to SGD 200 (USD 148).

3. are beginners planning to purchase a first bamboo-made flute.

1. want to purchase a real uta-yo (唄用) Shinobue which is tuned in Twelve-tone Japanese scale (日本十二律).

As I mentioned in my post "My Shinobue", I can see many cases in which "doremi" fue tuned in Western 12 equal temperament (西洋１２平均律) are being sold as "uta-yo" or "uta-mono" fue. Please note that doremi fue is not uta-yo or uta-mono Shinobue at all. They are tuned in different ways.
Hibari is a real uta-yo Shinobue tuned in Twelve-tone Japanese scale (日本十二律) .

The fue maker, Ootuka also makes "doremi" fue named "Shinonome"(東雲) separately.
Please do not confuse "Shinonome" (東雲) with "Hibari" (雲雀).

NOTE

• "Hibari"（雲雀）hogaku-cho/uta-yo（邦楽調/唄用）:
    tuned in Twelve-tone Japanese scale (日本十二律)
• "Shinonome"（東雲）yogaku-cho/doremi-cho（洋楽調/ドレミ調）:
    tuned in Western 12 equal temperament (西洋１２平均律) 

*Regarding the translation for 日本十二律, I tentatively described it as above. Currently, there is no appropriate translation for it on websites or books.

2. are looking for an uta-yo Shinobue within the budget of up to SGD 200 (USD 148).

Hibari's price range is as below;

12-hon - 8-hon choshi       : ￥13,500（SGD 168.75）
7-hon choshi                       : ￥13,716（SGD 171.45）
6-hon choshi                       : ￥14,904（SGD 186.30）

5-hon choshi                       : ￥16,092（SGD 201.15）
4-hon choshi                       : ￥20,304（SGD 253.80）
3-hon chochi                       : ￥21,816（SGD 272.70）
2-hon choshi                       : ￥32,076（SGD 400.95）
1-hon choshi                       : ￥41,904（SGD 523.80）

*1 SGD=￥80

3. are beginners planning to purchase a first bamboo-made flute.

With "Hibari", it is easy to make all the tones, including tsutsune 筒音[●●●●●●●], even for beginners. I will explain the details below.

邦楽調　雲雀 / hogaku-cho (uta-yo) Hibari 8本調子 review

Last autumn, I bought a "Hibari" (雲雀) 8-hon in Japan and tried to use it a few times.
Now, I will write my reviews in detail.

邦楽調 雲雀 hogaku-cho（uta-yo）Hibari
8-hon choshi

This is my "Hibari" 8-hon. The price is ￥13,500 (SGD 168.75).
I'm not sure of the shipping fees from Japan to Singapore as I got it in Japan.

Descriptions:
【Name】    "hogaku-cho Hibari" （邦楽調 雲雀）
【Maker】    Ootuka Chikukan gakki Corporation (有限会社 大塚竹管楽器)
【Type】      hogaku-cho/uta-yo  （邦楽調/唄用）
【Choshi】   8-hon choshi （八本調子）
【Hole】       7-hole（七穴）
【Price】      JPY 13,500
【Lacquer】 synthetic (inside) （内側 合成漆塗り）
【Others】   rattan bound at both ends（両藤巻）

▷Finger Hole Location (指孔の配置)

As you can see in the picture, the finger holes on the fue are spaced almost equally apart. This is one of the features of real uta-yo Shinobue.

This nearly equal finger hole spacing makes it easier to apply the Finger Hitting, Yubiuchi (指打ち) technique and re-locate the first hole (第一孔) with your right pinky.

◯◯◯◯◯◯●←the first hole（第一孔）

If you are a doremi fue player, please compare the finger hole location of your fue to the one shown in this pic. You will see the location of the first hole (第一孔) is far from the second hole (第二孔) on your doremi fue.

Last time I used doremi fue, I was struggling to make tones of 筒音 and 0 as my pinky couldn't reach the first hole.

筒音：●●●●●●●
0     ：●◯●●●●●

On the other hand, I have no problem covering all the holes with my fingers on "Hibari".

Finger Hole Location (指孔の配置)
The finger holes on the fue are spaced almost equally apart.
This is one of the features of real uta-yo Shinobue

▷Thin & Light

When I held my "Hibari" for the first time, I felt it thin and light as I'm used to "Miyako" (京師) which is thicker and heavier than "Hibari" (雲雀).

I think that those who are used to playing a thick Shinobue need to control their volume of breathing, otherwise the sounds might be cracked as they breathe too much.

In other words, "Hibari" is friendly to beginners, children and elderly whose breaths don't last long enough.

歌口 Utakuchi of Hibari

▷Clear and beautiful High-pitched sounds

The fue maker of "Hibari", Ootuka (大塚竹管楽器) is famous for making Koten-cho/Ohayashi-yo (古典調/お囃子用) fue,"Shishida" (獅子田). 

Their uta-yo Shinobue also takes over with Ohayashi-like clear and beautiful high-pitched sounds which remind listeners of "Shishida".

I love it!

▷Summary

If you are looking for an uta-yo Shionbue under SGD 200, I recommend "Hibari" (雲雀) from Ootuka Chikukan gakki Corporation.
With uta-yo Shinobue "Hibari", you can play various types of traditional Japanese music such as Nagauta（長唄）, Min'yo（民謡）and nursery songs（わらべ唄）.


"Hi, Yuka-san! I would like to buy a new uta-yo Shinobue. My budget is SGD 200. Could you advise me a good fue which I can buy within my budget? Thanks!"

If someone asks me this question next time, I will let him/her know the link to this post. LOL

Please check the fue maker, Ootuka-san's website.
↓↓↓

有限会社 大塚竹管楽器
Ootuka Chikukan gakki Corporation　
http://www.fueya.com

I hope that they can take your order in English.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Please enjoy your Shinobue life :)

See you soon!