Shakuhachi Roots Pilgrimage 2006 November 1, 2006

The plan is to arrive in Fukuoka (Southern Japan) on November 1 and spending the first week in southern Japan where we will harvest bamboo in Kumamoto with Nishimura Koryu (Kokuu's son); visit Musashi Miyamoto's cave, experience the onsens (hotsprings), visit the newest Komuso temple in Kumamoto, and meditate at the Komuso Temple, Saiko-ji (Hakata Iccho-ken). Then we will also participate in our obligatory visit to the Tsubaki Shinto Shrine in Mie-prefecture to offer shakuhachi to the gods of music and entertainment and do waterfall purification as well as visit shakuhachi maker and kyuudo master, Taro Miura. Then we'll visit Koya-san, center of esoteric buddhism, then head up to Kyoto to spend several days there; we will have a concert with the great shakuhachi maker, Yamaguchi Shugetsu and his wife, koto master, Tomoko in Nara. Then do a three-day sesshin at Eiheiji (Eiheiji will be confimed on October 10.) We will also participate in a secret shakuhachi ceremony with shakuhachi master, Yoshio Kurahashi at the Temple of Ikkyu Sojun, the famous zen monk and haiku poet, on Nov. 21 (this has been confirmed). Then end our trip with harvesting bamboo in the mountains of Nagano, as well as visiting the Komuso temple, Kokutai-ji, also in Nagano. The official end of the the tour is Nov. 26. We will be leaving back home from Tokyo, Narita airport. It's going to be a whirlwind trip full of wonderful experiences!!!

I will be staying in Tokyo an extra week and then attending the exciting Chichibu Night Festival on Dec. 3. You're all welcome to join me if you like. There'll be opportunity to take lesson with Kaoru Kakazakai Sensei at his house in Chichibu.

This trip is physically demanding, so please make sure to be in reasonably good shape, and try to pack is lightly as possible.

Official Website: http://www.bamboo-in.com/about-us/rootstrip.htm