Shakuhachi / Red Lacquer

This shakuhachi was made in a workshop that has been in existence for over 100 years.

Kitahara Seikado handles the entire process of shakuhachi production from the selection and harvesting of madake bamboo, the material used to make shakuhachi, to its production. No two pieces of madake, which is native to Japan, are the same, and the sound is created by handmade inner diameter production. Therefore, the sound of each tube has a slight individuality, and the compatibility between the player and the shakuhachi is very important.

【Please read the caution before purchasing】

Height : 54.5cm
Weight：300-500g

Bamboo

KITAHARA SEIKADO

"We want to bring you the joy of playing sound."

Kitahara Seikado is a four-generation production studio of Japanese bamboo flute pipe makers Ikuya Kitahara and Hiroki Kitahara. We start from the selection and gathering of domestic bamboo to the production and repair of Japanese bamboo flute. We also offer music classes.
We are always striving to create better instruments, and hope to bring the joy of playing music and smiles to as many people as possible.

ARTISAN STORY

Hiroki Kitahara
Hiroki Kitahara was born in 1980. After graduating from university, he worked as a sales representative for a general company before becoming a Japanese bamboo flute pipe maker.
In addition to performing, he has been actively engaged in production as the fourth generation of Japanese bamboo flute players.

Based on the techniques inherited from the first and second generations and the advice of the second generation, he continues to research further and repeat trial and error to produce Japanese bamboo flute of the highest standard to embody the changing times and the sound demanded by the players.

SHAKUHACHI / JAPANESE BAMBOO FLUTE

About 1,300 years ago / 700s / Nara Period (710–794)

The ancestor of the shakuhachi reached Japan from continental Asia as a gagaku instrument in the Nara period, then disappeared before returning in different bamboo-flute traditions. In the Edo period, komuso monks of the Fuke school used it as a religious instrument, developing a repertoire of solo honkyoku. After the Meiji Restoration, it entered chamber music and eventually contemporary genres.

In Japan, the shakuhachi stands beside koto and shamisen as a major traditional instrument while also symbolizing music built around breath, silence and space. Today it appears in jazz, film scores and orchestral works, with players active around the world.

The name means “one shaku and eight sun,” about 54.5 centimeters, though many other lengths exist. With only five finger holes, the instrument can still produce subtle microtones because pitch is shaped dramatically by breath angle, lip position and movement of the jaw.

Individual Differences

As each piece is individually handcrafted, slight variations in color, pattern, shape, and texture may occur. These subtle differences are a natural characteristic of handcrafted works, making each piece truly unique. We hope you will enjoy these individual variations as part of the beauty and character of Japanese craftsmanship.

Production Time

If an item is not currently in stock, it may be made to order by the artisan. As each piece is carefully handcrafted, production may take several months depending on the item and the artisan's schedule. We appreciate your patience and understanding.