Books & Articles

A selection of books are available for purchase. Please see the price list page.

Shakuahchi Odessei

Christopher Yohmei Blasdel

This book, which was awarded the 6th Rennyo Award for non-fiction writing in Japan, describes the author's arrival in Japan, the meeting and long years of tutelage under shakuhachi master Goro Yamaguchi and encounters with artists like the sculptor Isamu Noguchi and ethnomusicologist Fumio Koizumi. A chapter on the history of the shakuhachi sheds light on some of the myths concerning the instrument and the meaning they hold for the present day. There is also much written about the present day system of music education in Japan and the author's peregrinations about the world performing shakuhachi and Japanese music. The English version is called "The Single Tone, A Personal Journey into Shakuhachi Music.