Shichiseikai's Curriclum Vitae

This group of Buddhist monks is actively involved in researching the ceremonies, rituals, and shomyo (Buddhist sutra chanting) of the Jodo sect of Buddhism at ChioninTemple, the sect's headquarters. Shichiseikai has appeared as part of Xebec Hall's (Kobe) Asian Performing Arts Series: "The Sound of Buddhist Mantra and the Music of India", and has performed International Psycho-oncology Convention in Kobe in a program that also included Indian classical music. Funding by Japan Foundation when they made the UK tour in 2000, they were appreciated by British audience not only in London but also other places there. They were invited to UK in 2003, 2004, 2008, to France in 2004, Holland, Belgium, Austria in 2009, Istanbul in 2010 and Germany in 2011.
Despite having only 12 members, the group's voices resonate in beautiful unison to create a rich variety of harmonic overtones. While on the one hand carrying on the tradition of shomyo, the group has also succeeded in creating a new form of music through the application of shomyo's unique notions of the male voice and chorus. Shichisekai includes; HASHIMOTO Chishi (Seirenji Temple, Nagoya), IKEGAMI Ryokei (Hosenji Temple, Shiga), IKEGAMI Ryoken (Koshoji Temple, Kyoto), IKEGAMI Ryosho(Zendoji Temple, Osaka), WADA Bungo (Senshoji Temple, Mie), Late ITO Shinjo (Hounji Temple, Kyoto), KAWAI Mahito(Zuirinin Temple, Kyoto), SANO Shinko(Tenpukuji Temple, Fukuoka) , SHIMIZU Shuko (Horakuji Temple, Osaka) , SHISHIDO Sujin (Shinkyoji Temple, Kyoto), YAO Kyoshun (Zenpukuji Temple, Kyoto) and is led by MINAMI Chushin (Daikoji Temple, Kyoto). Also Shichiseikai include NAKAGAWA Hiroshi as a managing staff.shichiseikai