Collection
Gagaku Instrument: Komabue
| Gagaku Instrument: Komabue |
| Flute Edo period, 18th century Gift of Ii Family |
The komabue is a side-blown bamboo flute used for a type of gagaku referred to as komagaku. The storage case is decorated with gourd flowers, an ox-cart and a wooden-bladed folding fan, which are motifs drawn from the chapter “Yugao” in The Tale of Genji. Such references to classic literature were common in old Japanese works of art.
