As opposed to the Hero flute is the basic style of flute that has come down over the centuries. The mouthpiece closely resembles that of an orchestral flute and, like it, requires considerable practice before a sound can be produced, let alone performed. However, the Hero flute’s sound resembles more the sound of air being blown across the top of a bottle than it does the sound of a Western-style flute. It is this quality that gives the Hero flute its distinctive sound prized through the centuries and still loved today.
The aristocrat of Kagura flutes, this one boasts a finish in that most exclusive of Japanese lacquering techniques: that of the Wajima area in Ishikawa prefecture. This technique is at least a thousand years old. Wajima lacquer is done by the painstaking application of numerous coats of lacquer over a long period of time. The finished product has been prized through the ages not only for the outstanding depth and beauty of its sheen but for its extraordinary durability. A work of art and a keepsake.
