A Collection of Moving Shakuhachi Masterpieces | Beautiful Japanese Melodies That Stir the Heart

The Legend of AshitakaJoe Hisaishi

The Legend of Ashitaka / Princess Mononoke (From 'Princess Mononoke' – 'Ashitaka Sekki') (Shakuhachi / Piano Cover)

Joe Hisaishi, whose grand orchestrations have colored countless films.

The piece he composed for the ending of Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke unfolds like a vast picture scroll, portraying the profound theme of humanity and nature through a beautifully melancholic melody.

The unique world Hisaishi creates pairs perfectly with the mysterious timbre of the shakuhachi.

When you want to contemplate the majesty of nature or quietly reflect at night, why not immerse yourself in this music?

A and BHozan Yamamoto

“Kan Otsu” (shakuhachi: Hozan Yamamoto)

This shakuhachi solo piece was composed by Living National Treasure Hōzan Yamamoto for himself, built around the theme of dialogue between low and high tones born from a single bamboo.

Known for actively collaborating with jazz musicians and transcending the bounds of tradition, Yamamoto brings a melody that carries a piercing tension within silence, resonating deeply with the listener.

The work was included in the album Hōzan Yamamoto Works Collection (VII), produced around 1985.

Its sound is deeply introspective yet tinged with a taut atmosphere, evoking even a sense of solitary spirituality.

November Steps, Tenth SectionToru Takemitsu

[Performance Video] November Steps, Section Ten (Kifu Mitsuhashi, Kumiko Shuto) “November Steps No. 10” by Kifu Mitsuhashi and Kumiko Shuto

This is a groundbreaking work by Toru Takemitsu, who brought contemporary Japanese music to worldwide attention.

Rather than fusing the Western orchestra with traditional Japanese instruments, he deliberately sets them in opposition, which accentuates the distinct beauty of each sound.

The timbre of the shakuhachi—described by Takemitsu as “rising vertically like a tree”—evokes a solitary spirituality, like a single bamboo standing upright in silence.

The piece premiered in November 1967 as a commission from the New York Philharmonic, and was also performed at Expo ’70.

Song of the TravelerRando Fukuda

Traveller’s Song – (Fukuda Rando 1906-1976) 福田蘭童 Rodrigo Rodriguez shakuhachi bamboo flute

It’s a masterpiece whose somewhat wistful, nostalgic shakuhachi tone resonates deeply in the heart.

The piece was created by Rando Fukuda, a composer who infused traditional Japanese music with elements of Western music.

Within its approachable, folk song–like melody, it poignantly depicts the melancholy and longing for home felt by someone journeying far from their hometown.

In addition to being included on the renowned album “Rando Fukuda Shakuhachi Masterpieces,” it was also featured—performed with a fresh interpretation—on the mini-album “Solo Works for Shakuhachi” released in August 2016.

It’s the kind of music that gently seeps into your heart when you want a quiet moment of reflection or to let your thoughts drift back to home.

Song of the PloversYoshizawa Kengyō

Chidori no Kyoku (Chidori’s Song) Kozue Daiko, Sho Yamaguchi

This piece, composed in the late Edo period for koto and kokyū, is themed around the cries of plovers echoing along a winter shore and the scene of waves breaking on the beach.

Its lyrics are based on poems from the Kokin Wakashū, and the image of plovers calling to their companions overlaps with the text, stirring deep feelings of travel and nostalgia in the listener.

The work is one of the pieces in the Kokin-gumi, a group of compositions derived from classical waka.

Originally written as an ensemble for kokyū and koto, it is now widely performed in an arrangement that also includes shakuhachi.

There is even an anecdote that, on the eve of the Russo-Japanese War, an admiral played it on the shakuhachi aboard ship as they headed into a naval battle.

Perhaps you might let your heart drift with its beautiful strains while reflecting on these scenes from history.

Shakuhachi Duet: BambooHozan Yamamoto

Shakuhachi Duet “Take” (Bamboo)

Hōzan Yamamoto, a shakuhachi player also known as a Living National Treasure.

The work that he composed in his youth and that made his talent as a composer widely known is this three-movement piece for two shakuhachi.

In each movement—titled “Mōsō-chiku” (Moso Bamboo), “Wakatake” (Young Bamboo), and “Hotei-chiku” (Hotei Bamboo)—two timbres overlap in dialogue, vividly depicting scenes of bamboo groves swaying in the wind and the vigorous life force reaching toward the heavens.

This piece won first prize at a traditional Japanese music competition in July 1962, and was later included on the album Hōzan Yamamoto Works Collection (VIII) as well as the acclaimed recording San: A Tribute—Hōzan Yamamoto Works by his beloved disciple.

Poem No. 2Teizo Matsumura

Poem No. 2 by Teizo Matsumura: “Poème II for Solo Shakuhachi”

Teizo Matsumura, a Japanese composer who has been familiar with traditional Japanese instruments since childhood.

This piece he composed for solo shakuhachi exudes profound spirituality.

Breath-taking stillness intertwines with surging inner energy, stirring the listener’s heart.

Premiered in November 1972, it was also included on the acclaimed 1996 album “Shikyoku / Teizo Matsumura Selected Works II.” It’s the perfect track for a night when you want to forget the clamor of daily life and quietly face yourself.

Why not listen closely to this one-of-a-kind melody, where the traditions of Japanese music and a modern sensibility are seamlessly fused?