History

The shakuhachi was derived from a six-hole Gagaku-shakuhachi flute that was imported to Japan from China about fifteen hundred years ago. Over time in Japan, the instrument became the five-holed shakuhachi.

Honkyoku (Zen music) comes from the ancient tradition of the komuso (priests of nothingness), who wandered the countryside of Japan wearing straw hats over their faces and played shakuhachi for alms. The monks regarded the shakuhachi as a spiritual aide rather than a musical instrument and knew that the act of playing the flute soothed their bodies and souls, helping their meditation. One of the main goals of these monks was to use what they called their kisoku (spiritual breath) to achieve tettei on (absolute sound). For a shakuhachi player, the ultimate achievement was to “become a Buddha in one sound” (ichion jobutsu).

These monks were said to practice “suizen”, which is translated as “blowing Zen.” It is primarily a spiritual experience for the performer and for the listener – the musical experience is only secondary.

The result of this mindful playing is haunting, dramatic music with free-flowing rhythms and structure. In addition, each performance of a honkyoku piece is unique, even for a performer who has played the same piece hundreds of times.

Today honkyoku music is enjoyed for its soothing, stress-reducing effects. In our hectic world, the slow, measured paces of honkyoku and its passionate crescendos are welcomed by many as a return of the spirit of these ancient Zen monks.

Watazumido

Nelson specializes in dokyôku, or Watazumi Do (the way of Watazumi), a sect found in 1950. Watazumi-sensei believed that playing shakuhachi was one of paths of the “Tao”. He referred to the shakuhachi as a “Tool of the Way” (dôgu) and the pieces performed on it “Pieces of the Way” (dôguku).