Kinko-ryu. Very rare 1.8' jiari shakuhachi inscribed with the hanko of Aoki Reibo I.

Aoki Reibo I (初世 青木 鈴慕) was born July 15, 1890 in Yokohama, Kanagawa ken. He was introduced to shakuhachi by his father and elder brother. At the age of 18, he began studying with the renown teacher Kawase Junsuke I from whom he received a shihan two years later. He also studied with the great Nezasa-ha player, Nagano Kyokuei. In 1909, Aoki Reibo I founded Reibokai. In 1921, established his own school, Tokyo Chikuyusha, and later directed of both Nihon Sankyoku Kyokai and Shakuhachi Kyokai. He passed away on July 2, 1955.

Aoki Reibo II (青木鈴慕), born 1935, succeeded his father as head of Reibokai. In 1999, he was awarded Japan's highest cultural designation, Living National Treasure (人間国宝 Ningen Kokuō).

More information about Reibokai
at Shakuhachi Grand Master Elizabeth Reian Bennett's website.

This rare vintage shakuhachi sat neglected and unplayed for many years, but, fortunately, stored in a safe enviroment. Two hairline cracks in the upper section of the bamboo have been repaired and stabilized. The lower section of the flute is in pristine condition with no cracks at all, but the entire shakuhachi has been preemptively bound with inlaid rattan binding to mitigate any future damage. For this reason, it qualifies for Tai Hei Shakuhachi's lifetime guarantee assuring it will always remain in a playable condition.

Some cosmetic changes to the flute made over its lifetime, but not in keeping with the traditional aesthetic for shakuhachi, have been discarded. The interior precision bore, nakasugi middle joint, and its decorative rings are now fully restored, returing the instrument as closely as possible to its original condition. The acoustical and performance qualities of this shakuhachi have been enhanced as part of the restoration, including fine tuning of its intonation and resonance without compromising its unique and subtle tone color (neiro). This shakuhachi performs at a very high level with strong resonance for each of the open hole frequencies, has a wide dynamic range, and a large envelope of sound.

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