This excellent playing guide deals extensively with the Buddhist origins of the shakuhachi, its religious significance and meditative qualities. The historical role of the komuso - early practitioners of the Fuke shakuhachi - is explored focusing on their relationship to the evolution of shakuhachi music in Japan. Grous offers a thorough examination of the Kinko Ryu notation system which includes a basic fingering charts, an explanation of timing and other helpful tips for the beginning student. He discusses how to care for the shakuhachi and takes the reader phrase-by-phrase through Cho Shi, the first piece of music in the Kinko Ryu repertoire.

69 pages. PG-9

Robert Grous is a Buddhist scholar, historian and teacher of Koten and Kinko honkyoku. He has studied extensively in the United States and Japan with two highly-respected masters of the shakuhachi, Baido Wakita and Seibi Sato.