One of the hurdles when beginning any instrument is finding a teacher. With shakuhachi this activity is even more complicated for several reasons. The first is that, being an instrument so rooted in Japanese tradition, there is a lack of the abundance of teachers outside of Japan that you can find as easily as with other instruments. Fortunately for those who can not find a teacher within a commutable distance, many shakuhachi teachers have begun teaching students using Skype.

Note that the shakuhachi is a very difficult instrument to play. Most individuals will find that a teacher is a necessity early on, regardless of goals. A teacher is absolutely essential to learn and interpret honkyoku. Honkyoku are very old, traditional pieces written specifically for shakuhachi and are so moving that many individuals consider learning honkyoku inseparable from learning shakuhachi. As you are probably already aware, learning shakuhachi is something that takes years and decades. Most online shakuhachi teachers are flexible with lesson schedules to meet the needs of each student.

Read your prospective teacher's website if they have one. The websites not only provide information on what school, or style, and repertoire the teacher will transmit to you but often have a lot of introductory information.

Click here to visit the Shakuhachi Teachers section of the links page.