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FOUNDER OF BIWA BY THE BLIND, SEMIMARU

　Oosaka no seki is the first checkpoint from Kyoto(capital 
city in those days) to eastern cities, going down from 
Higashiyama(East Mount) to Omi, famous place from ancient 
days. Its name Oosaka has connotation of hope to meet again,
along with sorrow of parting. 
  In the mount Oosaka near the checkpoint, word had spread 
that exquisiste melody was heard every night nobody knew 
from what time. Were it passtime by a Tengu(long-nosed 
goblin) or god of the mount, once people listen, they were 
fascinated with the music. 
　One full moon night it turned out who it was. A master 
hand of cross flute from the capital encountered a blind 
person playing biwa sitting on a rock facing river. He said 
only the name　Semimaru, supposed to be court servant or the
fourth prince of the Emperor Daigo. 
  The flute musician visited the Mt.Oosaka every night 
afterwards, eventually was initiated the secret tune of biwa
Ryusen Takuboku according to the record.
　The story was disseminated all over the country, 
reportedly, many blind people aspiring musicians came to ask
lectures. Biwa,once monopolized by the aristocracy thus 
popularized by the blind.

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