Kohl over at the Shakuhachi Forum was good enough to post this article from Kurahashi Yodo. I am sharing it here for those who might have missed it.

The Heart of Bamboo

By Kurahashi Yodo

Translated by Ingrid Seldin

The essence of bamboo is firmness; by means of this firmness, virtue is established.

The character of bamboo is honesty; by means of this honesty, fortune is established.

The heart of bamboo is hollow; by means of this emptiness, the path is maintained.

The joints of bamboo are fidelity; by means of this fidelity, ambition is established.

The tall noble bamboo is the sole material from which the shakuhachi is made. When the pure qualities of the bamboo become infused with the breath of a living soul, Heaven and Earth become one, and a tone rich in the essence of nature flows forth. When I was young, I was fascinated by the sound of the shakuhachi and the image of the notes drifting out from a hut deep in a pine forest on a quiet moonlit night. Completely enthralled by that quality of tone, when each note seems to directly touch the heart, and wanting somehow to capture that for my own. I soon became intensely absorbed in study. After a time, when I had proudly begun to obtain a slight degree of skill, a small recital of teachers and older students was held. An unknown player, who had happened to drop by the recital hall quite unexpectedly, was invited at the last minute to play a piece. In an almost desultory frame of mind, I leisurely waited to hear how he would play, having not the slightest expectation or anticipation.

In the next instant I was jolted awake by an intense shock of excitement—a shattering blow that pierced through to the very core of my being. With superior transcendence of pitch and rhythm, with a tremendous, frightening strength, with the driving force of a cascading waterfall—it was as if I had been ushered into a fascinating enchanted land by the devilish melody. Like thunder out of a clear blue sky, my pride at my small prowess was struck down. My blood recoiled, its current reversed back on itself, and in this fearful condition my whole body froze as if turned to stone. Immobilized by blank amazement, I reached the highest peaks of excitement and stimulation. I had the sensation of looking up from below to see a towering precipice that had risen before my very eyes. Is it possible that sound waves created by only one shakuhachi could produce such a deep impression of shock on a listener? In that one instant, by that precarious chance encounter, I had met the man who was to be my teacher for life: the late Jin Nyodo—and not only that, were it not for this occasion I might never have heard honkyoku.

Honkyoku is Zen-oriented shakuhachi music which exists on quite a different plane from the average music performed at concerts. The name itself refers to that music which is the original or true path of the shakuhachi. The shakuhachi was in fact used as a tool for enlightenment and for a deep examination of the self or ego—the Zen phrase for this is “To see your true self.” Thus, another name for these special pieces is “Original Self music.” Classical honkyoku refers to the music used in Zen training by the Fuke sect, which employed the shakuhachi as a means through which to become a bodhisattva. Were such a goal to be reached, the music would become a vehicle for the propagation of the divine miracles of Kannon, the Goddess of Compassion, and thus assure the ultimate salvation of all living beings.

So, the sound which had taken me so firmly in its grip, was actually tempting me to enter the path and become a bodhisattva. In fact, it is still constantly reverberating inside me and flowing through my veins. Even to this day it has yet to fade or diminish. With all of my strength, I am seeking bodhisattvahood, and the struggle to reach the state of enlightenment has become my life’s daily bread. To aim for a distant mountain summit, when you are only seeing it from so utterly far away and wanting to reach it, seems like such a hopeless task. But by taking only one step forward—even at such a slow pace, provided that you throw your whole self into that step—you discover a special sensation, a slight feeling or hint of Sanmai [literally “three tastes,” a state in meditation where one is totally absorbed in concentration, outside things forgotten, and the whole body may become tingling or numb.]

The history of Zen Shakuhachi dates back over 700 years ago, to the monk Hotto Kokuji, who was the founder of the Kokokuji Temple in Kishu, and brought back the suizen [“blowing Zen” as opposed to “sitting Zen”] piece called “Kyorei” from China. It was from this point on that the shakuhachi became the special meditation tool of the Fuke Sect, and this can be considered the origin of the modern shakuhachi. In the early seventeenth century, an edict was issued stating: “In the matter of the Zen sect known as Fuke, it shall henceforth be the refuge and facility of the samurai, and the ronin shall therein find protection and a way of life…” Thus, the Fuke Sect became the special home of the troublesome ronin, masterless samurai, who had the chance to trade in their swords for a shakuhachi and follow the way of bamboo, which was at least as equally noble a pursuit as the way of the sword. Those ronin became komuso, or wandering shakuhachi-playing monks who wore a concealing basket over their heads. The komuso came to function as a spy network for the shogunate, which is why the fortunes of the Fuke Sect suffered a complete reversal when the government changed: in the fourth year of the Meiji era [1871], the Fuke sect was abolished by ministerial proclamation and all its temples were abandoned.

At the time, commoners, or those who were not Fuke priests, were forbidden to play the shakuhachi, and so the tradition of shakuhachi almost died out. Because there was no successor to the tradition, it seems probable to me that many famous pieces of shakuhachi music were irretrievably lost in this period. But, near the end of the nineteenth century, the shakuhachi experienced a revival and became a concert instrument.

The present age is one in which our very human nature has come to be denied or disregarded. It seems that, without the least opposition, the natural world is being destroyed and the spirit of man is being needlessly and senselessly destroyed. Well, in times of this sort, it happens that people desiring to master classical shakuhachi music are on the increase. What can this mean? There is even a kind of longing among the young people from foreign countries, who, cherishing their hopes, come all the way to Japan to frequent the dojo. Sitting for long hours in the correct posture while the sweat is pouring down; trying to endure the agony and not pay it any attention; bringing all one’s efforts to bear in patient concentration on this uncomfortable instrument; filling it with all of one’s breath; and somehow in the process, trying to reach a state of perfect freedom and release. What could possibly tempt these shakuhachi players into following such a course? Is it fascination with the vision of the solitary shakuhachi player entering a state of oneness or fusion with the universe, or perhaps the desire to extend oneself to the ultimate limits of one’s breath? In this era of the denial of humanity, it is said that we have to go back to the sensual experiences of the body as our starting point.

However you look at it, I think, it is the shakuhachi—that instrument which consists of nothing more than a stick of bamboo—that can surely satisfy restless spirits. To the question: “What sort of person are you, really, inside and what lies concealed there?”—the shakuhachi will undoubtedly supply an answer. Kurahashi Yodo was a Grand Master of the shakuhachi and has received many honorifics and prizes. He lived in Kyoto, Japan and China.

If you are here you almost certainly visit The Shakuhachi Forum. If you don't or you missed the post, there is a great interview with Katsuya Yokoyama from Mejiro-Japan out right now. I will mirror it here. Please feel free to download it and enjoy the read.

I recently asked Justin Senryu to do an interview for the blog. He is the maker of my main 1.8 flute that I study with daily. After spending so much time with this great flute, I wanted to find out more about the person behind it. I received his replies to my questions today and wanted to share them with you here. I hope you enjoy them.

An interview with Justin Senryu
by Brian Purdy

-How long have you been playing shakuhachi?

About 4 years.

-How did you discover the shakuhachi?

My brother had an LP of Yamaguchi Goro's honkyoku. That was the first time I heard the shakuhachi. Something about it, the tone colour I think, captivated me and remained with me until about a year later when I saw the instrument for the first time while I was living in India. I had previously stayed in Thailand training in meditation in the monasteries there, and during that time I had experiences which connected me to bamboo, giving me a feeling of appreciation and wonder. So, finally seeing the beauty of the instrument whose sound had left such an impression on me, this wonderful natural bamboo, doubly impressed me.

My friend whose shakuhachi it was, then explained to me how this instrument was that of wandering Buddhist monks, who would travel across Japan, homeless and on a perpetual pilgrimage through the valleys and forests. My friend was a great story teller. Like any great story teller, the line between fact and fiction was a grey but pleasant one. Anyway, I felt a lot of resonance with this story, as I myself was quite fitting to that description. It was not for several more years that I started studying shakuhachi, but it was from this time that I carried the intention to learn.

-What aspects of the shakuhachi most appealed to you when you first discovered it?

I think this is mostly answered above. The decisive factor really was the nature of the music. I had dedicated myself to spiritual practice, and in our tradition music played very little part. Before I met my master I had spent a lot of time singing and playing devotional music in India. For me this is a very fulfilling activity. There is no audience. We are all devotees, whether brahmin, beggar, priest, mother or child. And all celebrating God. Together. For me this is the best kind of music.

My master was Buddhist, and our training is generally neither social nor creative, as such. For me it is the best training, and is very efficient for transforming the mind. So much of my time was spent alone, at times I would go to study or attend teachings, and rarely in other activities. However, as the years went by, I realised that I missed the creativity of the devotional singing and music making I used to do with my Hindu brothers and sisters, which had now become only a rare treat. There seems to be a creative fire in me, and the most healthy thing seemed to be to allow that, and even nurture it.

I realised I wanted to study an instrument deeply. And shakuhachi seemed to be the most suitable instrument for me, having a music which is designed on a non-egotistical basis. Much music is based on "self" expression. As with devotional music, the shakuhachi honkyoku is also a kind of "self-less" expression. Whether or not that is actualized or not is, of course, up to the individual. But as a basis, this gives a very good foundation for the music, and makes it very suitable for a potentially spiritual practice. Also technically, I find that shakuhachi honkyoku requires both strong concentration and relaxation. This is precisely the combination of elements required in meditation. This is an important reason as to why or how shakuhachi honkyoku is complimentary to meditation practice. I say complimentary, because I believe it cannot be a replacement for meditation practice.

-Who were your main influences and what style initially appealed to you most in the beginning?

In answer to the question of main influences, and your next question of teachers' impact, certainly my Buddhist master has been my main influence and guiding force. This provides the meaning and basis of my music.

In terms of styles - when I started studying, I had no idea about the different styles and genres. I never asked my teacher, Michael Coxall of Kinko-ryu Chikumeisha, to teach me anything in particular. I just asked to study, and learned anything he would teach me. Perhaps this is from my Buddhist training, for which we generally do not ask to be taught this or that. It is the teacher who knows what the student should be taught. All I knew was that I wanted to study, and Michael was an excellant teacher.

After several months of study, I borrowed some CDs from Michael. I had already been studying the different genres Michael teaches, of Sankyoku, honkyoku and shinkyoku. But the CDs gave me a chance to hear a wider variety of music. The music I most loved from that, was the honkyoku of Yokoyama Katsuya's school. It was then that I realised I would have to go to Japan to learn more about the shakuhachi world.

-What teachers do you feel have had the biggest impact on your playing and conceptions of the flute?

I have really appreciated all of the teachers who have taught me. I have studied a variety of styles, so each teacher has made a big impact for me on each of their respective styles. Furuya Teruo has a great understanding of music, and outstanding mastery of technique. He has been a great influence on me as one of my main teachers. Yokoyama Katsuya of course has been a great influence for me, both through Furuya Teruo (his student) and directly while studying with him. Both of these teachers have not only been my guide for their repertoire but also for deepening my understanding of music in general.

Araki Kodo V, another of my main teachers, has a very different style and approach to Yokoyama and Furuya. His is the oldest tradition of Kinko-ryu honkyoku and sankyoku, and also for me the most refined and fitting to my tastes. But his influence has also extended to my whole approach to the instrument, especially in his mastery of tone colour. It was for this reason that Yokoyama encouraged me to study with him.

With Kurahashi Yoshio I studied about 20 pieces, 12 of which were honkyoku. Although it was early in my shakuhachi studies, this gave me an appreciation for and inquisitiveness towards the older roots of the honkyoku repertoire, and simpler ways of playing. This has led me to researching further into the history of the music, and so has had a continuing influence.

Fujiyoshi Etsuzan has been a great influence both through his vast repertoire and wealth of knowledge, really broadening my understanding of the historical developments of shakuhachi music, and encouraging my passion and love for study and research both in playing and in terms of history. Again, his approach is different from my other teachers which helps to broaden my understanding and playing ability further.

Iwata Ritsuen has been another important teacher for me, as one of the very few masters of Seien-ryu. The honkyoku of this school are the original Fudaiji honkyoku. These honkyoku have become some of the most popular honkyoku today through Higuchi Taizan, who arranged them into new versions and included them as the basis for his school, Taizan-ha, also known as Myoan-ryu or Meian-ryu. From there they also spread across Japan. Jin Nyodo also studied these pieces and made his own arrangements so they also exist in his school. To study them in the original Seien-ryu style from which they came has been very valuable for me, both for playing them in that older style, and also to deepen my understanding of the arrangements of these pieces which I have already studied from the other lineages.

These have been the main influences on my playing. Concerning my "conceptions of the flute", to this I would also add that studying from books and shakuhachi experts has been very important for me. Some of my friends here in Japan have spend up to 60 years or more studying shakuhachi playing and history. They have been an invaluable source of knowledge. And, sharing the passion and love for the instrument is also what brings this aspect alive and makes it so enjoyable.

-When did you decide to begin making shakuhachi and did you have any teachers initially?

Actually the first shakuhachi I made was before my first lesson. I needed a shakuhachi to start studying, so I made one. I had lived in China for a year and while I was there I studied xiao, which shares a common ancestor with shakuhachi. I studied using a professionally made xiao, and had made a couple from plastic for fun. So making a plastic shakuhachi was not so difficult. It was in tune and worked fine for my first months of lessons until I had the chance to buy a professional shakuhachi, which my teacher bought for me on one of his trips to Japan.

On my first trip to Japan I learned some basics of shakuhachi making. After I returned to England, I realised that the only way I could really continue my studies of honkyoku and shakuhachi making was to return to Japan.

-Who has been the biggest influence on your shakuhachi making?

Araki Chikuo (Araki Kodo II). His shakuhachi have been my favourite to play. I have learned several styles of shakuhachi making from teachers living today, and all of these have helped me a lot. Each maker has different ideas and techniques, and different areas of expertise. But the shakuhachi which have most impressed me have been some rare shakuahchi from older makers, and so I have directed much of my efforts to the study of these older instruments. Good old shakuhachi are very rare, as many (most actually) old instruments are quite bad. But some of the older shakuhachi made by master makers are really outstanding, and quite different from modern shakuhachi. As I said my favourite maker is Araki Chikuo, but other outstanding makers who have influenced me are some of Chikuo's students such as his son Araki Kodo III and Miura Kindo, and older makers such as Hisamatsu Fuyo and other such Kinko-ryu makers, and also makers of other lineages such as Kokyo for old Myoan-ji style, Murase Chikuo for Fudaiji style and others.

-When did you decide to move to Japan and pursue both playing and making as a full time venture?

I started studying in England, and came to Japan to see what was here. I wanted to have a wide view of what the shakuhachi world was. When I returned to England, it didn't take long until I realised I had to come back to Japan to study what I wanted to learn. That was one year since I had started learning.

My original intention was not to live in Japan. I had not even thought of that an option. Japan is an expensive country to stay in. My intention was really to study as intensively as possible for a number of months, and just see how things went. As things turned out, I never had to leave, and have been continuing my studies ever since, as well as now working as a shakuhachi maker and teacher here.

-Did you have experience any bias in being accepted into the shakuhachi culture in Japan?

In the beginning, no not at all. People here are generally very nice, especially shakuhachi people. Only occasionally I have had some troubles. One is that it is not usual for Japanese students to study with more than one teacher. And often, if someone does go to another teacher, first they leave the other teacher and are basically cut off from that school. It is not always like that. But, generally, you only have one teacher. This applies not only to shakuhachi but to Japanese arts in general. Being a foreigner gives you more freedom in this respect and you can be given more freedom, which is lucky, although when you actually live here rather than just visit, you are expected to follow the Japanese way more.

As I have studied with a number of teachers, this has sometimes caused some friction. Some people really think that is bad, and wrong. The irony of it is that many of the most famous teachers, including most of my teachers, have studied with a number of different teachers themselves. Yokoyama Katsuya for example studied with his father and Fukuda Rando, and also with Watazumi who was from a very different lineage. Watazumi studied with a number of different teachers also. Jin Nyodo studied with shakuhachi players all across Japan. And so on. (For more details see the lineage charts on my website which give some of these details and which I intend to update with more info soon). Also, during the Edo period komuso would travel across Japan and sharing honkyoku on the road was common. It was quite different from the strict world which developed after that period.

So it is important to remember that the culture is different here, and one should always ask permission from ones teacher before studying with another teacher. My teachers are all very open, and have been encouraging towards my studies of different schools. I feel uncomfortable and sad when other students and even some friends view this as "wrong", but there is no way I can see it as wrong when I have the full consent ad encouragement of my teachers, and when I consider the reality of the history of honkyoku lineages where it was common to learn from many teachers.

Another problem is jealousy. Most people are very supportive and encouraging, and glad of what I have learned. Also being a foreigner can make them feel proud, proud that the shakuhachi brings interest from foreign countries. But, occasionally one may encounter jealousy, if someone feels uncomfortable with a newcomer whom they perceive to be good but also young, and on top of that a foreigner. I have to say though that this has been very rare in an otherwise very friendly environment. I have experienced more hostility in the foreign shakuhachi community. Perhaps because it is a smaller community, some people occasionally feel threatened if you know things they don't or if they feel you are invading their speciality, even if that is not your intention. On the whole though I find shakuhachi people everywhere to be a very nice and welcoming group of people.

-How long have you lived in Japan now?

About 3 years.

-How have your conceptions of the flute most changed now that you have so much more experience in the culture and the instrument?

I don't think being in the actual culture is very important for shakuhachi study. There are good teachers abroad such as your own teacher Michael Gould who teaches in the traditional way. I don't think there is any added bonus in being in Japan simply for normal Japanese culture. However, I have chosen to study some particular parts of Japanese culture while I have been here, which I do think have helped me. I studied Satsuma biwa, for which I also had to sing. Satsuma Biwa was played by samurai in Kyushu during the Edo period. Apart from my love of biwa music, I also felt that this would help me in my understanding of some of the auditory environment of the komuso, who were also samurai, and therefore people of both the same class and time as the Satsuma biwa players.

I also studied Kyudo. Though I have not had the opportunity to study in depth, this gave me a deeper understanding of posture and the physiological side of Japanese arts. This side was also very strictly taught by my biwa teacher. This has been useful for shakuhachi.

Other than this of course being here has been invaluable for the teachers, experts and instruments here. One excellant source of information is Riley Lee's thesis. This is a wealth of information. Riley himself has also helped me a lot with his shining example of playing and scholarship, and kind encouragement. John Singer is another who has not only mastered the shakuhachi but also has a wealth of knowledge. So there are excellant teachers and resources overseas. But I do feel very grateful for being here in Japan. Each time I study a new piece, or hear a new story, it's like another piece of the puzzle being filled in. I also feel that as I learn more, in terms of both history and playing, it enriches everything I have already learned. One example of this is where one honkyoku has been learned by someone two or three hundred years ago and then incorporated into their lineage, and passed down through time in both lineages and perhaps branching off to another, two more even. For me these are then all parts of one whole. It's like a whole picture starts to build up, and slowly get clearer and more intriguing.

My understanding of what is a "good shakuhachi" has also taken a lot of time, and I continue to learn. This has been made possible with the help of people here in Japan sharing their knowledge and opinions with me, and from playing many shakuhachi, sometimes travelling across the country to visit important historic instruments. This has been invaluable for my shakuhachi making and also historical understanding of shakuhachi.

-When making flutes do you have a preference for jiari or jinashi flutes?

I love both jiari and jinashi. Personally I usually play jinashi, but not exclusively. Both are a joy to make and to play, and it really depends on what sound I want to make for that particular moment. Also both jiari and jinashi have a great variety. So I make for myself in a variety of different styles of shakuhachi to suit the different music I like to play. Similarly this variety can suit the varying demands of my customers.

-Do you find that most of your flutes tend to be more suited toward one school or another?

This again comes down largely to personal taste. Even within one school, individual players have individual tastes. However, there are some general tenancies. Yokoyama Katsuya's school of honkyoku (sometimes known in the foreign community as "dokyoku") has very specific techniques which are very demanding on shakuhachi. These are generally impossible to play correctly on old style shakuhachi, and indeed on many modern shakuhachi. So these shakuhachi must be specially made to play this repertoire. That is my main special consideration for Yokoyama's school.

For jiari I favour the tone colour of traditional Araki-ha instruments, and so I make in this style, whether the instrument will be for Yokoyama's school or Araki's. Tone colour is a very personal choice. Yokoyama's school have always been using Kinko-ryu shakuhachi, and for me Araki-ha shakuhachi are some of the best of these. My main "guide" in shakuhachi making is that I should make what I like. At one stage I was questioning this, and wondering if I should think more about what customers would like. It was my teacher Furuya who strongly encouraged me to follow what I like, and I have taken his advice to heart. The result is an instrument which is suitable for both Kinko-ryu and Yokoyama's school, the benefit of each giving no detraction from the other. The other schools which I have studied can equally be played well on these instruments. Tozan is a school which I have not studied, and I have no idea whether or not this type of shakuhachi is suitable.

For jinashi, there is much variety. The longer shakuhachi for example, while suitable for Yokoyama's school and other honkyoku schools, would usually not be used for Kinko-ryu which generally does not use longer than 2.0. Then, some shakuhachi I make in Kansai style which require a gentle breath. The tone of this music is quite different from Yokoyama's school, and is favoured by many Myoan players. Many players from Yokoyama's school would find such instruments unsuitable due to the difference in playing style they require. And where Myoan players may find Myoan and Yokoyama styled jinashi suitable, Tani-ha players have their special demands, which Myoan players may find suitable but not all Yokoyama school players.

Some people require shakuhachi with older tunings, and I myself prefer these for certain styles of playing. Most notably "chi" will be much sharper than the modern tuning. Although with much practice it is sometimes possible to control the pitch of these instruments for modern-tuned playing, most people will be unable to do so. In that case these instruments would be unsuitable for playing modern-tuned music, which includes honkyoku as it is usually played today.

So, while there is cross-over between the different styles of music the instruments are suited to, it is important to consider what repertoires will be played, and what kind of sound or special requirements the customer wants from their instrument.

-What schools of music have you studied and play?

Concerning post-Edo period music, I have studied Fukuda Rando's music and some shinkyoku and gendaikyoku, but I rarely play that.

I study and play sankyoku. Incidentally although sankyoku was officially not allowed for shakuhachi before the Meiji period, Kinko-ryu has a long history of shakuhachi playing in sankyoku reaching back well into the Edo period.

Honkyoku has been my main study. Yokoyama's school is the only one whose repertoire of honkyoku I studied in its entirety. My studies of other schools is ongoing and so far includes:

Kinko-ryu Araki-ha: 25 pieces (there are about 36 in total)
Jin Nyodo lineage: 12 pieces
Seien-ryu: 9 pieces (there are 11 in total)
Kimpu-ryu (Nezasa-ha): not including versions in Yokoyama's or Jin's schools, 4 more. (There are 10 in total).
Taizan-ha: not including versions in Seien-ryu, Yokoyama's or Jin's schools, 3 more
Shimpo-ryu: 2 (there are 60 in total)
Other: 6

There are some other pieces which I have taught myself from recordings, such as some of the pieces which Watazumi played (some of which he may have created himself). Although I enjoy these, in Japan great importance is put on learning the pieces directly from a teacher, and teaching oneself is not viewed as having "learned" a piece. Genuine lineage is vital, and is the only accepted way for a piece to be transmitted. Although it seemed to me possible to study from recordings, I experience again and again the irreplaceability of studying directly with teachers There are so many points which I cannot grasp by myself and could never guess, even with a careful ear. With a teacher, we learn the vital points of the pieces, what can be changed, what cannot be, what is the special character of each phrase and technique. For one's own taste of music, that may not be necessary, but for the genuine transmission of the music as it is embodied by the lineage, the personal teacher-student relationship is vital.

Concerning what I play, most usually I play honkyoku. Of the honkyoku I play it varies with what I am focusing on at the time. These days usually Yokoyama's school, Kinko-ryu and Seien-ryu, next Taizan-ha and then about equal measures of the rest.

-Do you have one style of music you tend to play more?

It used to be Yokoyama's school as that was my main school, but now as I mentioned above, I am giving equal time also to Kinko-ryu and Seien-ryu.

-As I understand it you have earned your Shihan license. What school or schools have issued you a Shihan license?

My Shihan was given to me by my teachers Furuya Teruo and Yokoyama Katsuya. Yokoyama also gave me my professional name as a shakuhachi maker, Senryu (which translates as "Dragon of the spring", "spring" as in source of water).

-Do you teach very often in Japan or online?

I have been very busy with shakuhachi making and my own studies, as well as other projects and work for my teachers such as publishing the Kinko-ryu honkyoku notation written by Araki Kodo II, which will be ready soon. So I have not had much time to devote to teaching, though I do have a number of students both here in Japan and abroad. I will be coming to Europe to teach next year.

I noticed pictures of you practicing Kyūdō online. Do you feel there is a connection between playing shakuhachi and practicing Kyūdō?

I studied Tai Chi Chuan quite deeply in England and Hong Kong, so it was natural for me to take the opportunity of studying Kyudo here in Japan which has always attracted me, and also bujutsu. I spoke above about the connection for me in terms of posture, and how to hold ones body in what after all is a samurai art (shakuhachi). Further than that, there is a more direct connection. According to my teacher's teacher's teacher, Miyagawa Nyozan, shakuhachi is "teki zen ken". In this case teki (flute) means shakuhachi, and ken (sword) means martial arts. Zen is meditation. "Shakuhachi" should be, or genuinely includes, all 3 of these trainings. This seems to have been the way of the komuso. They were all samurai, and were trained in various martial arts. It seems that they continued that training after joining the Fuke sect. I do not know the details of this, although it would be fascinating to know, such as, did they train together, or individually? Anyway it was suggested to me that there was no specific art that they trained in, but that they trained in whatever martial arts they had trained in before becoming komuso.

Watazumi was devoted to his martial training excercises with stick. Apparently sometimes when expected to play shakuhachi to a paying audience, he would simply do stick exercises, and claim it was the same thing (to the distress of the organisers). Nishimura Koku was another noted martial artist. Nyozan's student Takahashi Kuzan taught not only shakuhachi, but also zen and martial arts. However, such teaching nowadays is rare and shakuhachi has been almost entirely separated from these other two branches.

Thanks so much to Justin for taking the time to answer these questions and sharing his insights.
You can find Justin's site and more information on him at his website: http://justinshakuhachi.googlepages.com/

I found this interesting shakuhachi bag on ebay. There are different fabric designs and they look very secure if you like storing your flute in two pieces. Check it out here!

From Chikuzen:

Hello everyone, As a brush up for the Japan trip or as a brush period I thought it would be good to have a weekend camp here at my house in Cleveland. I'm thinking Sept. 25~27. Friday mostly to give out-of-towners a chance to get here and we could start in full sat. morning. We'll go till sunday mid afternoon as usual. Those who live close by are welcome to go home and sleep comfortably and those from afar stay here. Aura will be gone to Papua New Guinea but we'll scrounge around in the fridge and fine some leftovers or something to eat. (Ha Ha..please laugh here). I haven't settled on any set songs and will take requests up until the date. review or rather warming up with Sanya, Honshirabe, Tamuke will be done as we'll probably play those in Japan at Taniguchi's but we could also have him play/teach us something different. Again, for those of you going on the trip, let me know if there's something specific you would like him to teach us and I'll request it. I can't guarantee his answer as he is often moody and will switch things on the moment. (Oh, that's where I got that problem of switching what's on the program! ). I think we can also do some Sankyoku pieces at this "camp". Please contact me about the pieces you'll be playing in Japan. We'll cover them and I'll get them out to anyone coming to this camp so they can practice. If you're not going to Japan you can pick one and we can do it also.Camp will be the same format as usual as far as time goes. We'll have to stop playing about 10:30 at night though. The price will be $200. but we might be eating some of the meals out. breakfast here but lunch and dinner we'll have to see. We have a new Japanese restaurant down the street that has temaki zushi half price on saturdays and it's good stuff. There's also Tai, Chinese, Indian and Whole Foods around. We'll survive! I'm keeping this as a gathering of Advanced players as the space won't accommodate that many people. Please send any questions you may have this way (instead of that way). I look forward to seeing you and playing together again.

Michael

I filmed this in Pennsylvania at my first KiSuiAn shakuhachi camp. This was the song I studied with Kurahashi while I was there and he played it here to open the performance to show me how it should sound performed. I thought I would share it here.

Michael Chikuzen Gould is selling his 2.5 jinashi shakuhachi by Yamaguchi Shugetsu. Custom made for Michael Chikuzen Gould, this is a wide bored jinashi with some spot tuning to make the pitches great. Normally $4500. Chikuzen is offering it for the low price of $2800. He says that he ordered the flute because he wanted a Shugetsu shakuhachi like the one that he made his first solo honkyoku CD with 10 years ago. However, he's been playing a Neptune 2.7 and a Yokoyama Ranpo 2.4 for several years now and although this one certainly holds it's own with these other giants, he simply has no time for practicing so many long flutes. The holes are staggered so it really easy to hold and getting the meri and dai meris are a piece of cake. He's also willing to let you audition the flute too. If you are nterested please contact him at his email.

We are getting down to the one month mark for the deadline to enroll in the Florida Shakuhachi camp. In order to know exactly what the curriculum needs to encompass we have to set the final date for enrollment to Setember 10th. As of right now we have mostly a beginner - beginner intermediate class throughout. So if you are looking to reinforce the basics and correct any deficiencies in your technique this would be a great place to do it. Michael Chikuzen" Gould is working on what we will learn right now and it will include a lecture on "The Nature of the Beast (shakuhachi): How to Study Accordingly in a Natural Way". It will also include classes on how to get great tone and use your embouchure efficiently. If you have any questions you can contact me or contact Chikuzen. The website with full details is located at: http://www.floridashakuhachi.com

***SOLD***
I have a Kitahara 1.8 jiari shakuhachi made by the old Kyoto family Kitahara. It is a shakuhachi I originally got from Perry Yung and he was selling it for $1600usd which was a good deal. I am going to sell it for a great deal! I am asking $1000usd shipped for this great flute. This flute has been evaluated and is very suitable for lessons. It is an easy player capable of all the fingerings. The joint is tight and there are no cracks in the flute. You will notice 2 hankos on this flute. This flute was selected by a master maker in the Kitahara family to be an example of one of their best models. If you are interested please let me know. I can send larger pictures upon request. You can email me at: brian@floridashakuhachi.com . I can accept Visa, Mastercard, AMEX or Discover as well as Pay Pal for anyone interested.

I received this copy of a masters thesis from Ronnie Nyogetsu Seldin. He writes:

"Hi Everybody,

Here is a Master's Thesis just finished by Shinsuke Kitamori, for a Master's Degree at Doshisha Univercity in Kyoto.
It is entitled "Shakuhachi Culture Taking Root in the U.S.A.: The Construction of "Japanese" Authenticity and the Lifeblood of American Players"
I have his permission to share it with you.

It is very interesting to see these points of view taken and observed by a native Japanese.
Naturally, their points of reference, and the way they see us are sometimes different then how we see ourselves.
And moreover, he does make some interestingly 'different" points then I am used to seeing."

You can read the thesis here.