# Ohayashi Sensei

> Interactive Noh music app with four traditional Japanese instruments. (iPhone/iPad app by Yanko Popov.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ohayashi-sensei/id963708809 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Yanko Popov](https://appshunter.io/developer/441694724)
- Category: Music, Music, Education
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 5 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 8.0 · 53 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2015-02-13
- Data updated: 2026-06-11
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ohayashi-sensei/id963708809/reviews.md

## What is Ohayashi Sensei?

The Japanese classical drama - Noh, is considered one of the oldest still existing performing arts in the world. Its peculiar and mysterious music style called Hayashi, has never ceased to mesmerise the audience, whether it be the samurai warriors of ancient Japan, or the punctual Japanese businessmen of modern times. The musical instruments used in Noh are four - three drums and one flute. With Ohayashi Sensei you have the unique opportunity to experience the exquisiteness of the music of Noh, as well as play the instruments yourself - in an easy and fun way. Pick any of the four instruments and start practicing right away.

In OHAYASHI SENSEI you can play all four instruments used in Noh drama - flute (fue), shoulder drum (kotsuzumi), hip drum (ootsuzumi), and stick drum (taiko). You can also play the yelps and shouts (kakegoe), used by the musicians to synchronise their performance. For every instrument there is a gameplay mode, in which through visual indications you can learn the rhythm of the most common melody in Noh drama, chuu-no-mai, and test your musical skills.

OHAYASHI SENSEI was developed with the support of the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs in order to help elementary school teachers present the peculiar instruments and styles of Japanese traditional music. The app represents all four instruments very faithfully - all of the recorded sound samples were performed by professional hayashi musicians on the Noh stage of Yamamoto Nohgakudo in Osaka, Japan. There are also explanations about the role and peculiarities of each instrument. 

Highlights of the app:
  - Beautiful and faithful representations of each of the four different instruments.
  - All types of synchronisation shouts (kakegoe) by professional musicians.
  - Test your skills and learn the basic melody in Noh in a fun way.
  - Japanese and English interfaces.
  - Informative explanations and modes of playing for all instruments.

## Key features

- Play four Noh instruments: flute, kotsuzumi, ootsuzumi, taiko
- Practice with professional musician recordings
- Learn common Noh melodies and rhythms
- Interactive gameplay modes for each instrument
- Explanations of instrument roles and peculiarities
- Japanese and English interface options

## Recent user reviews (5 of 5)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ohayashi-sensei/id963708809/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Great, but…

*2021-10-07, version 1.3*

I love this app. But a while ago it stopped working on my iPad Pro. I get all the graphics but no sounds. 😥

### 5/5 — very good app

*2019-01-18, version 1.3*

This app is very educational. It is also designed very nicely.

### 3/5 — 面白いけど

*2016-01-17, version 1.2*

お能が好きなので興味深いです。ただ、楽器を叩くタイミングと音の出るタイミングが0.x秒遅れるので残念なのですが、そういうものなのでしょうか？Interesting App. But there is disappointing time lag between hit and sound.

### 5/5 — すごい

*2015-05-07, version 1.1*

一般的にユネスコの世界無形遺産として有名だが、宗家の規制かDVDやCDなど語学学習に比し、貧しい。能楽ファンを増やすには子どもから開拓する必要がある。その点、このソフトは若者にも、学校教育でも利用できそうだ。宗家で縛らず、外国の方にも協力を依頼すれば日本の伝統も大きく花が咲くだろう。そうすれば能楽会館ももっとよくなる。山本能楽堂は雰囲気が良いが、他の能楽堂は外国人の体格の椅子、トイレなどがちょっと貧困。ゲームでいろいろな能体験ができればすばらしくまた能は花開くだろう。

### 5/5 — 待ってました!

*2015-05-03, version 1.1*

音源が豊富なだけでなく、実際の楽曲を使って体験できるミニゲームまである！
お囃子独特のリズムは面白いけど難しく、音源だけだとどう打ってもそれらしくならず、なかなか楽しめなかったのです。
以後、様々な場面で使われる楽曲が
ほんの少しでも増える事を願います!

## Frequently asked questions about Ohayashi Sensei

### What instruments can I play on Ohayashi Sensei?

Ohayashi Sensei allows you to play the four main instruments used in Noh drama: the flute (fue), shoulder drum (kotsuzumi), hip drum (ootsuzumi), and stick drum (taiko). You can also practice the synchronisation shouts (kakegoe).

### Is Ohayashi Sensei suitable for beginners?

Yes, Ohayashi Sensei was developed with support from the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs to help elementary school teachers present traditional Japanese music. It features gameplay modes with visual indications to learn rhythms and test musical skills.

### What is the sound quality like in Ohayashi Sensei?

The app features faithful representations of each instrument, with all sound samples performed by professional hayashi musicians on the Noh stage in Osaka, Japan, ensuring high-quality audio.

### Does Ohayashi Sensei have ads?

No, Ohayashi Sensei does not contain advertisements. It is a completely ad-free experience for users.

### What languages does Ohayashi Sensei support?

Ohayashi Sensei offers both Japanese and English interfaces, making it accessible to a wider audience interested in learning about Noh music.

### How often is Ohayashi Sensei updated?

The latest version of Ohayashi Sensei is 1.3, and it was last updated on July 15, 2017. While updates are not frequent, the app provides a stable experience.

### What devices can I use Ohayashi Sensei on?

Ohayashi Sensei is currently supported on iPads. Users with other devices may not be able to access the application.

### What is the age rating for Ohayashi Sensei?

Ohayashi Sensei has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for children and adults interested in exploring traditional Japanese music.

## Version history (last 4 releases)

### 1.3 — 2017-07-15

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

- Performance improvements
- Minor bug fixes

### 1.2 — 2015-12-11

Various optimizations in the playback engine.

### 1.1 — 2015-03-23

- Various bug fixes and enhancements
- Added instrument overlay explanations
- Added OHAYASHI sensei character in the game mode results
- Improved language detection

### 1.0 — 2015-02-13

No release notes.

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## More apps by Yanko Popov

- [古典文法](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id559731392)
- [古典文法 Q&A](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/q-and-a/id871094597)
- [Ohayashi Sensei Pocket](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ohayashi-sensei-pocket/id972031029)
- [We Noh](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/we-noh/id1076236878)
- [Super Utai](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/super-utai/id1164468098)

All apps by Yanko Popov: https://appshunter.io/developer/441694724

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-11.*