Edo-style Shakuhachi For Sale

San-Shu (Psalm 148) - Edo-style 1.8 SOLD

This shakuhachi began as a "damaged vessel" - the bamboo had a wound on the outside, which I repaired with care. Since it stood out a bit, I slowly sanded down the rest of the skin, exposing the fibers underneath; the skin was replaced by multiple coats of raw Japanese urushi, which take the place of the skin and protect the bamboo against the elements, providing a deep earthen-brown finish. It was then adorned with a maki-e inscription of John C.H. Wu's Classical Chinese translation of the 148th Psalm.

Love turns things that were damaged and unusable into vessels of truth and beauty. In Buddhism, the experience of emptiness (the aim of Fuke shakuhachi playing) results in boundless freedom. Christian "emptiness" is freedom from the old self; one expression of this emptiness is praise. Psalm 148 unites all of creation - people of all sexes and classes, birds, fish, animals and plants are all brought together to sing to their creator. I thought it fitting to use 20th-century Chinese Christian John C.H. Wu's translation for this shakuhachi. John Wu was friends with D.T. Suzuki and Thomas Merton; like Merton, he was a committed disciple of Jesus who liked Zen Buddhism. This shakuhachi sounds clear and true, and rests softly on your chin.

• Length: 1.8 (about 545 mm)
• Tenguchi (mouthpiece) inner diameter: 20mm
• Chiguchi (bottom hole) diameter: 14mm
• Weight: 340g

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羽宮Ukyu ("Winged Palace")- Edo-style 2.4 SOLD

This incredibly light piece of bamboo has a deep, rich sound, hence its name. You can feel the bamboo resonating with your breath's vibrations as you play. The bamboo was coated and beautified with multiple layers of Japanese urushi, giving it a warm, earthen brown finish that protects it against sudden changes in humidity. At 2.4, this is a little long for an Edo flute, but the light weight of the bamboo makes it so easy and comfortable to play that I couldn't resist. Balancing out the natural urushi on the exterior is "everyday red" bengara urushi inside. This shakuhachi also includes its own custom-fitted bamboo cap.

• Length: 2.4 (about 730mm)
• Tenguchi (mouthpiece) inner diameter: 21mm
• Chiguchi (bottom hole) diameter: 16mm
• Weight: 227g

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Honsoku - Edo-style 2.0 SOLD

This is a big, solid wide-bore shakuhachi. It is well balanced, and 甲ウ is nice and stable (this note often squeaks on wide-bore shakuhachi. Its unique tone-color gives it plenty of presence, with a quiet yet very "big" sound - I don't know whether to describe it as mysterious, straightforward, hollow, heavy, dark, or bright, because it seems to be all these things - hence its name, which suggests that it takes on your personality. Wonderful for playing Kinpu-ryu and Myoan Honkyoku pieces. While making it, I tested it with San'ya. Extra-hard bengara Japanese urushi inside, and beautiful markings outside where the bamboo rubbed up against other shoots as it grew. This shakuhachi also includes a custom-fit bamboo cap coated in bengara urushi, traditional decorative rattan binding on the root end, and a functional/decorative rattan grip that helps you hold the flute without putting tension in your lower hand.

• Length: 2.0 (about 605 mm)
• Tenguchi (mouthpiece) inner diameter: 23mm
• Chiguchi (bottom hole) diameter: 17.5mm
• Weight: 414g
• Price: $1,400.00 USD (about ¥140,000)
• Order code: h-12

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