Japan
Japanese

Bamboo, lacquer, rattan
Mid 20th century
Length:  15.75 inches
Aerophones – Wind Instruments Proper – Edge-blown Flutes

The shinobue (takebue) is a Japanese transverse flute (fue) made of shino bamboo. The interior is lacquered and the outside is wrapped with bark or rattan twine to help prevent cracking and warping.  This shinobue has seven fingerholes and is of the kabuki model, while those with only six or five finger holes are used in folk music such as, bon dance songs and non-vocal local ritual music.  The kabuki model shinobue is often used in alternation with the nokan flute in the kabuki theatre, in addition to nagauta, hayashi, and geza ensembles.

Resource: “Shinobue,” David W. Hughes, “The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments,” 2^nd ed., Laurence Libin, Editor in Chief.