When reading about history, it is important to remember that what we know is only a snapshot, a brief moment in an ever-changing world. What we know of the past will always be substantially less than what we have forgotten. Goze, a Japanese musical tradition with over 400 years of orally endowed history, now gently fades into obscurity along with the hardships and struggle that created it.
Origins of Goze, music birthed from hardship
Many Goze organizations appear to have been formed during Japan’s Edo period (1600-1868). During this time, being blind or otherwise disabled was heavily stigmatized, especially for women who had few opportunities to begin with. Goze groups provided a type of independence for these blind women as musicians. They would travel long distances throughout Japan and perform for towns and houses in return for money and bags of rice. Families would bring their otherwise disabled children to the Goze and request they be taken in as apprentices.
Goze organizations were known for being very strict, upholding an ethical code, meant to legitimize their organization and prevent them from being perceived as wandering beggars. Like convents in Christianity, the apprentice girls were known to refer to each other as sisters and were required to remain celibate. The Master or teacher would also be addressed as a mother. Apprentices would learn the Shamisen, a three-stringed fretless instrument prevalent at the time. The Goze mother would sit behind the apprentice and direct their hands to teach them the songs they would need to memorize for life on the road.
Haru Kobayashi, National Treasure, and Last True Goze
Haru Kobayashi lived to be 105 years old, dying in 2005. In 1978, she was named a Living National Treasures of Japan and considered one of the last true Goze practitioners. Born on January 24th, 1900, Haru developed cataracts within her first three months, causing her to go blind. Due to her impairment, she was shunned by her family, spending most of her early life confined to her bedroom. Being unable to marry, and having few options, she began Goze training when she turned five. She would continue to suffer many hardships as she survived two world wars. With her incredible skill and troubled past, she truly exemplifies the beauty and suffering of a Goze performer.
The Decline of Goze
These groups served as a way for blind girls to survive in a world rife with discrimination and prejudice. After World War II, Japan started to implement social policies that gave those with disabilities the support they needed. The new opportunities provided by these policies, paired with the popularization of television, made the hard life of a traveling performer less desirable. As better options made themselves presentable, Goze quickly fell to the wayside along with the harsh circumstances that pushed these girls to pursue a life on the road.
Keeping Goze alive
Goze organizations are mostly a thing of the past. They served their purpose during a difficult time of extreme prejudice. However, there are still some people keeping the tradition alive. Rieko Hirosawa, a student of Haru Kobayashi, continues to keep the memory of Goze music alive. Losing her eyesight later in life, she met Haru during an interview for a radio broadcast. She quickly became her disciple and now carries on the legacy, singing their songs and allowing us to experience a musical culture largely lost to time. Though the Goze may be a thing of the past, its spirit persists through practitioners like Rieko.
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