Shakuhachi Guides

Playing shakuhachi

• Note charts
• How to play shakuhachi (video)

The instrument – care, repair, madaké bamboo, jiari, jinashi, hotchiku, urushi, and so on

• How to buy shakuhachi
• Glossary of frequently used terms
• “What are shakuhachi and what makes them unique?”
• All about pitch on the shakuhachi or “being in tune”
• Japanese madaké bamboo (P. Bambusoides)
• Cracks and bindings
• Caring for shakuhachi with video on how to tie a cleaning-cloth knot or “tsuyutoshi”
• Types of shakuhachi explained – jiari, jinashi, and hocchiku
• “What determines the sound and feeling of a shakuhachi”?
• “Why are shakuhachi expensive?”
• shaku Japanese measurement
• Lacquer – Urushi and others

Making shakuhachi video series

• Harvesting and preparing madake bamboo

History

• A brief history of the shakuhachi
• Honkyoku Zen pieces
• The Komuso monks

Honkyoku that I teach

The Seien Ryu (Fudaiji) – Shizuoka and Aichi Prefectures

The Kinpu Ryu (Nezasa-ha) – Aomori Prefecture

Oshu and Echigo (Fudaiken, Kinjoji, and Echigo Myoanji) – Northern Japan

and Select pieces from

• Jin Nyodo
• Watazumi
• Myoan Taizan-ha (明暗対山派)
• Kyushu kei/Itchoken
• Shinpo and Kichiku Ryu (1st Kyoto Myoanji)

People

• Araki Chikuo (Kodo II)
• Fuke Zenji
• Higuchi Taizan (Suzuki Kodo)
• Iwata Seien VI
• Jon Kypros
• Jin Nyodo
• Justin Senryu Williams
• Watazumi (Tanaka Masaru)