From left,
7-hole Uta-you Shinobue in B-flat ("6-hon choshi") top binding
7-hole Uta-you Shinobue in B ("7-hon choshi") black painted
7-hole Uta-you Shinobue in C ("8-hon choshi") without binding

The shinobue (kanji: 篠笛; also called takebue (kanji: 竹笛) in the context of Japanese traditional arts) is a Japanese transverse flute or fue that has a high-pitched sound. It is found in hayashi and nagauta ensembles, and plays important roles in noh and kabuki theatre music. It is heard in Shinto music such as kagura-den and in traditional Japanese folk songs. There are three styles: uta (song), hayashi (festival), and doremi. The uta is tuned to a Japanese variant of the shi'er lü scale, while the temperament of the hayashi vary across regions. The doremi is tuned to the western scale; hence the name.

See also

• Ryuteki
• Bamboo musical instruments

External links

• Ron Korb's Asian Flute Gallery (features description and drawing of the Shinobue and other Japanese flutes)
• Syoji Yamaguchi's web site on Japanese transverse flutes (features articles on making and playing of the Shinobue and other Japanese transverse flutes: yokobue or fue)
• Japanese Traditional Music (archived 9 February 2008)