Ancient transverse flute
It is said that the flute, which is played horizontally, has its roots in India or its surroundings.
In Japan, in addition to the shinobue, there are other types of flutes, such as the komabue（高麗笛）used in Gagaku（雅楽）,the ryuteki（竜笛）, the kagurabue（神楽笛）, and the nohkan（能管）used in Noh plays（能）and Kabuki（歌舞伎）, which are all used depending on the content of the performance.
One of the most famous is the " Oteki flute carved stone " has been in the Shosoin collection since the Nara period (710-794）, and is known to have been a favorite of Emperor Shomu. It is made of stone and decorated with carvings of flowers and birds. Its length is 37 cm.
However, there was a much older type of musical instrument that simply had a hole in it and made a sound when blown. The " rock flute " is simply an egg-shaped stone with holes drilled in it. It has been excavated from ruins dating back to the Jomon period, some 5,000 years ago. In those days, flutes were thought to be used in rituals ( to worship gods and ancestors ), etc., and their mysterious high-frequency tones were apparently very popular.
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