Koten Shakuhachi Honkyoku: Yamagoe (Crossing the Mountain) 

Koten Shakuhachi Honkyoku: Yamagoe (Crossing the Mountain)
This is an example of koten honkyoku that was handed down by many komuso in the Kyusyu region. Because of sketchy historical records, it is impossible to be sure if this piece originated in a komuso temple in Hakata (a city in northern Kyusyu) by the name of Itchoken, but one can clearly hear the vestiges of the komuso who used Ittyoken as a base for their wanderings in and around the Kyusyu area.
In the old Kyusyu region, there was a tune called "Sashi", which was a type 'nagash', a piece that would be played as a komuso collected alms. (There are various ways to read each of the two Chinese characters that from the word "Sashi,"). Also, there are many musical variations of "Sashi," long and short and among the longer ones, there are types which include a particular phrase called "yamagoe no te". This piece, known as "Yamagoe," is clearly one of these. Incidentally, a well-known piece called "Ajikan" is also derived from "Sashi" but does not contain this particular phrase, "Yamagoe no te" is the very short modulating passage of G, F, D-flat, C which is played against the basic progression of A-flat, G, E-flat, D. The opening melody is a characteristic one which resembles "Ajikan," and lively shakuhachi phrasing can be heard throughout the piece. Listen carefully to identify the above phrase.
Yamagoe literally means, going over a mountain, and is interpreted in Japanese as, overcoming the most difficult part of a task in some way or other. This piece is meant to encourage the overcoming of difficulties.