Twenty hereditary musicians were established on the new foundation, they were divided into three classes: the 'Nanto' those who had originally come from Nara, and whose duties were specially connected with the ancient Kagura, the 'Kyoto' and the 'Tamoji' those who had come from Kyoto and Osaka respectively, and who were specially in charge of the Bugaku performances.
Their pay was at the rate of 35 koku of rice annually, paid half in money and half in kind; and fuchi, a daily allowance of rice for 5 people, about 150 yen a year, at that time it was amply sufficient for a comfortable livelihood.
Their chief duties consisted of: first, the occasional performance of the Hi kyoku, the 'secret music' music of the highest class, which was a sealed book to all who had not obtained the final certificate of proficiency; secondly, the performance of the Bugaku dances which were given on important celebrations; thirdly, the 'Azuma-asobi' a very sacred dance, the music of which was said to have been received from heaven by a descendant of Jimmu Tenno; it is now performed before the sacred emblems on the two great festivals at Nikko. To be included in the orchestra of the 'Azume-asobi' was the summit of the Temple musician's ambition; 13 only out of the 20 were specially selected and received extra remuneration of 300 bags of rice being distributed among them; lastly, the Sogaku, public performances of orchestral music only, which were held in the Temple on the first 15th and 28th month, and also on the festivals of the Gosekku, seventh of the first month, the third of the third month, the fifth of the seventh month, ninth of the fifth, seventh of the ninth month.
Special encouragement was offered to the blind to obtain proficiency in music, the house of Yoshida, of the Imperial Household, being empowered to confer on them ranks or degrees. The degrees were three: Koto, Kengyo, Soroku, about ten years elapsing between the grant of each. The claim for a degree had to be supported by a recommendation from those in the same profession that the candidate was worthy of the honor: as a mark of great honor and esteem the suggestion would often be made in the first place by the profession. A subscription was generally made among the pupils for the necessary expenses and the fees, which were 100 yen, 200 yen, and 1000 yen, for the three degrees respectively. Then came the pilgrimage to Yedo, the ceremonial presentation of the candidate, the payment of the money, three or four months of somewhat unnecessary delay had been conferred, and that the money had been paid into the Imperial Treasury.
Blind "pin-prickers" shared with musicians in the three degrees just mentioned. The title of Shojo, or Daijo, was also conferred on musicians who were not blind, Shinto priests, high-class fortune-tellers, and cake makers; the rank was equivalent to Third Governor, and was conferred in connection with the name of a town, much in the same way as English titles are granted. A title would run thus: Inouye Harima no Shojo - the Shojo Inouye of Harima; Takemoto Chikugo no Daijo - the Daijo Takemoto of Chikugo. A connection between the person ennobled and the place of his title was not essential. The whole business of conferring titles on professional men, except those who were recommended by the Shogun, was in the hands of the Yoshida family, a monopoly granted to them by the Emperor.
Monopolies formed the chief source of income of many of the Court nobles till the system was abolished at the time of the Restoration. Thus the teaching of the So-no-koto was entirely in the hands of the house of Yotsu Tsuji: the teaching of the Biwa in that of Fushimi, a prince of the blood; singing in that of Jimyoin. All certificates of proficiency, without which no teacher could exercise his profession, were signed by the head of the house holding the monoploy, and in many cases he himself would conduct the examinations. Other monopolies not connected with the subject in hand were the right to grant to football players the distinction of wearing lilac strings to their hats, vested in the house of Sakai: and to falconers lilac tassels for their falcons who had caught a crane. In the house of Takakura was vested the sole right of initiating into the mystery of Court dressing those who approached the Imperial presence.
Music education began when child were destined for the musical profession, chiefly of women and blind men, beings to learn the koto when it is four years old, and continues hard work to the age of fourteen, by that time all elementary tunes have been learned. At 8 years old, everyday and all day is devoted to the work. Ceaseless devotion to study is a characteristic of the profession, and has produced extraordinary mechanical dexterity that made the nation famous. (ten hours a day for ten years) afterwards routine becomes second nature.
Four stages of koto playing, end of each then granted diploma, koto, kengyo, soroku. Diploma examination ceremony takes place in a small room with a crowd of 20 or 30 people include pupils, parents, teachers, and friends. The mistress sits behind the other, step-wise, so as to leave the "above-bridge" space of each instrument clear. Behind them sat samisen and kokyu players. At the upper end of the room sits the blind professor with his koto; in other nooks and corners the audience and the smaller pupils, who will presently play their little pieces separately. There is a pause in the day's occupation, one of the those intervals of busy silence which play so important a part in the life of a japanese day. Presents are brought to the school-mistress given with a low bow but received with a lower bow and put away unopened. It is a fee for tuition, 1 yen a month or the fee to pay for her diploma. Roku-dan (tune of six parts) an ambitious piece is performed. The professor strikes the first string, and the pupils adjust the ivory tsume on their fingers and begin to tune. The blind man listens, striking the note on his koto occasionally to help, listens patiently, immovably, but with acute sensibility written on every line of his intelligent face, while the teacher points out the pupils who are still out of tune. At the end of the piece a vibratory sharp long-suspended, japanese cadence, then the final note long expresses satisfaction.
A girl should be ready to receive her first diploma two years after she has passed the infantile stage and begun the regular course, age 11 or 12. By that time she has learned to tune her koto, and to play accurately about a dozen pieces. Many do not go beyond this, but are content to become the ordinary musicians of the tea-houses, but for those who intend to become regular professionals, many and great difficulties lie beyond.
On receiving your first diploma, omote no yurushi, the "front license" 5 yen is paid to the teacher, together with a present of seki-han, broiled rice mixed with a small red bean. A present of seki-han is also made to the fellow-pupils. The more wealthy pupils give a dinner instead of the rice and bean present. The course includes "Hitotsutoya" the counting song, or New Year's song, "Saita Sakurai" the song of the Blooming of the cherry-trees, and many easy pieces, and more complicated ones, kumi, such as "Umegae" the song of the Plum-branch, and ends with "Rokudan"
During the first course, the fees paid for the tuition are: for the koto, one yen a month, fo the Kokyu or Samisen, by reason of the greater trouble in teachiing and learning, 2 yen a month. The second course begins with "Kumo no uye no kyoku" the song of the clouds, and end with "Midare" confusion, the pupils learn the second principle tuning, Kumoi, the cloud tuning so named from the song of the clouds, modulating tuning learned, Han-kumoi, at the end of the course, the second diploma is granted, naka no yurushi, the "intermediate license" or ura no yurushi, the "rear license." Payment to the teacher for this diploma is 8 yen with the present of rice and beans, or the dinner.
The third course begins with "Go-dan" the five-grade tune and ends with "Shuyen no kyoku" the song of the banquet. The third principal tuning, Iwato is learned, modulating tuning, Gosagari-rokuagari; at the end of the course the third diploma is granted, oku no yurushi, "innermost license" the fee is 15 yen with the rice present or dinner. When the diploma is received the first string of the koto is lowered an octave in all tunings.
The forth and last course pieces of great difficulty are studied, and remaining tunings are learned, beings with "Ogi no kyoku" the song of the fan, and end with "Hiyen no kyoku" the song of the flying swallows. When the course is finished a fee of 20 yen is paid to the teacher for a sign-board, the permission to use the teacher's name. The pupil then becomes a professional and is allowed to start a school on her own account. The use of the teacher's name corresponds to the "grant of one character" among artists.
Japanese musicianship is hereditary, family's of musician who receive teaching from parents. Kan-geiko was winter practice, for 30 days of the Kan season, Jan. 5-Feb. 6, working for 3 hours without warmth; Gebuki summer practice, devised in Kyoto, yielding the heat and perform in summer festivals, 3 hour lesson each day, and practice for the many hours a day, public examination 6 months each time.
>From age 10-15 the lessons were confined to the reading of the Bugaku books, mastering the difficulties of intonation, at 15 the hereditary instrument was taken in hand, instruction being given either by father or member of orchestra under surveillance of father. Visible progress effective at the end of 3 years, after 5 years the pupil took a place in the orchestra on the lesser occasions. After age 21, when he had satisfied the local examiners, he was sent to Kyoto to received the higher training for two years, in order to quailfy for the final certification of proficency, which enabled him to take his position in the orchestra of the pubilc Sogaku and the sacred Azuma-asobi. At kyoto instruction was soughtin the schools of the great monopolists, either in chinese biwa or chinese koto, or in singing. 10 years to earn final certificate. At age 60 a pension for long service was received and the succession devolved on the son. The tradition of the profession was that if work was begun betimes, proficiency might be reached at 30 years of age, and extreme skill at 40, but by 50 the skill was passed away, and the time to begin to think of moving off the stage and making room for others.