When I started playing in nature a few years ago, I quickly realised that I needed to learn my Honkyoku repertoire by heart. I wanted to be able to play anywhere, without relying on notation.
And then I made a huge discovery.
Why play Honkyoku by heart?
I wrote about this topic a few years ago (in this post), and looking back, I’m still using the same approach—only now, my repertoire has grown a lot.
Oral transmission
Traditional shakuhachi music is an oral tradition. Notation came later, mainly as a tool to remember and pass on the music. But you cannot truly play Honkyoku as it is meant to sound if you don’t know the style or have never heard it.
That’s why I make so many practice recordings for my students. You can find them on my SoundCloud page.
Playing by heart connects you more deeply to this tradition—and to yourself. Your listening shifts. You begin to follow in the footsteps of the Komusō monks.
Hélène Seiyu 聖 優 Shakuhachi 