Shakuhachis

On its surface, the shakuhachi appears quite simple, and is traditionally made of bamboo. In its most basic form, it is a tube with finger holes: four holes on the front and one on the back, along with...

On its surface, the shakuhachi appears quite simple, and is traditionally made of bamboo. In its most basic form, it is a tube with finger holes: four holes on the front and one on the back, along with a blowing edge at the top (called utaguchi) and a hole at the bottom near the root. So what's the story behind this instrument, and how has it become such an important element of Japanese traditional music?

This type of end-blown bamboo flute first came from China to Korea and then to Japan during the 6-7th century as one of the instruments in Gagaku (Asian orchestra). The shape was different from today (six holes), and it eventually fell out of favor in Gagaku, being less loud and less stable in pitch than similar-sounding instruments (such as sho and hichiriki). Today, the fuke shakuhachi that was developed in Japan is the variety that has survived, making it very much a Japanese traditional instrument.