Kokū Nishimura

Kyotaku by Nishimura Koku

Kokū Nishimura (西村 虚空, Nishimura Kokū^?, 1915 - June, 2002) was a master Japanese bamboo flute player, teacher, and craftsman. He played an especially raw style of flute he called the kyotaku, similar to the shakuhachi and very similar to the hocchiku. His teacher was Kyochiku Tani, a komuso monk. Nishimura Koku himself became a komuso and wandered Japan for ten years, playing kyotaku. His son, Koryu, continues to play and teach kyotaku in Kumamoto, Kumamoto.

His other accomplishments include woodcarving, painting, Okinawa karate (six dan black belt), and Kendo (three dan black belt).

Albums

• Fuke Shu Honkyoku; Kyorei
• Kyotaku (1998, remastered from a 1964 tape)

External links

• Nishimura Koku page at komuso.com

Persondata
Name	Nishimura, Koku
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1915
Place of birth
Date of death	2002
Place of death