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Shakuhachi has gained popularity across various musical genres in recent years, thanks to its unique timbre and the intricate, nuanced expressions it is capable of producing. However, understanding the mechanics, instrumental technique, including its timbral production, can be complex, often requiring hands-on experience to fully grasp. As dedicated practitioners of this versatile instrument, we, the members of the Shakuhachi 5, have long wanted to share our knowledge with other musicians and composers.
We aim to go beyond the common perceptions of this "exotic" instrument by exploring the mechanisms that contribute to its depth and finesse. Above all, we hope to spark interest among a wider audience. We sincerely wish for this manual to serve as a definitive guide for musicians interested in shakuhachi, fostering a diverrse range of future collaborations and influencing the instrument’s evolution.
This manual is work in progress, and the web-based format would allow us to revise and improve its content regularly. We welcome your suggestions and questions, as this site will evolve through the sharing and exchange of ideas and wisdom among practitioners and musicians. We hope you will join us in exploring the wondrous world of the shakuhachi.
During the Nara Period (late 7th to the early 8th century), a six-hole instrument was brought to Japan from China. a six-hole bamboo flute was introduced to Japan from China. This early form of the shakuhachi was primarily used in Tōgaku, the Tang Dynasty music that later became a foundational component of Gagaku, Japan’s imperial court music. Over time, however, the shakuhachi gradually declined in prominence within the Gagaku ensemble. By the 12th century, a new variant known as the Hitoyogiri—a shorter, five-hole instrument—emerged as the direct predecessor of the modern shakuhachi. Initially played to accompany popular songs of the period, the Hitoyogiri fostered the development of a distinct instrumental tradition. This evolving repertoire eventually culminated in the creation of a style known as “té” by the 17th century.
The shakuhachi underwent significant transformations that shaped it into the form recognized today. Practitioners focused on standardizing intonation and enhancing tone projection. Modern shakuhachi is also known as Fuké shakuhachi or Komusō shakuhachi, named after the komusō—samurai-turned-monks who practiced the instrument. The komusō were wandering, non-monastic lay Buddhists from the warrior class, often recognized by their straw basket hats called tengaï. With long hair, they practiced Zen Buddhism according to the teachings of the Fuké, a branch of the Rinzai sect tracing its lineage back to the Zen master Puhua (J. Fuké) of the Tang Dynasty in China.
Rather than chanting sutras, the komusō practiced the shakuhachi as a form of meditation, and their practice evolved into what is known today as honkyoku, the core of the classical shakuhachi repertoire. In the early Meiji period, the newly established Meiji government dismantled and prohibited the Fuké sect in 1871, resulting in the komusō losing their status as Buddhist monks.
After this period, the shakuhachi became closely associated with secular jiuta songs and the sōkyoku repertoire, traditionally linked to the koto. Shakuhachi was no longer regarded as a hōki (Buddhist ritual instrument), and for the first time in history, it was recognized as a musical instrument. In the twentieth century, with the westernization of Japanese popular music, the shakuhachi began to be used widely across various genres, including popular, rock, jazz, classical, and contemporary music.
shaku（尺）, sometimes known as Japanese foot, is 10/33 m, or approximately 30.3 centimeters. 1 shaku is further subdivided into 10 sun（寸）.
Shakuhachi is made from madaké (Japanese timber bamboo or Giant timber bamboo), and the root of the bamboo plant is used as the bottom of the instrument. Typically, the shakuhachi is crafted from a section of bamboo that contains seven nodes, although there are some exceptions to this.
The holes on the shakuhachi are numbered from the bottom up. There are four holes in the front, referred to as ichi-kō (1st), ni-kō (2nd), san-kō (3rd), and shi-kō (4th). Additionally, there is one hole in the back, known as go-kō (5th hole). The blowing edge of the instrument is called the utaguchi, while the bottom is referred to as the kanjiri or tsutsuguchi.
Utaguchi
