In this series, we ask top professionals to share stories about their "partners"—the tools of their trade. A tool used over a long period eventually becomes an extension of the body, an object that reflects the user's personal history and philosophy.

Our guest this time is shakuhachi player Dozan Fujiwara. The single shakuhachi he has worked with for nearly 40 years is not merely an instrument to him; he says it is his "very own voice." Let's trace his relationship with this partner back to its origins, to the day it refused to make a sound.

The Day No Sound Came Out

The first time he held the instrument, he couldn't get any sound out of it at all.

"It was the first time in my life I had ever encountered an 'instrument that makes no sound.'"

Dozan Fujiwara recalls with a slight laugh. But he says the frustration of that moment is still clearly etched in his memory.

Fujiwara had loved flutes since he was in the third grade of elementary school. During music class, he would play the recorder longer than anyone else. He was so engrossed that he would even play it on his way to and from school.

His grandmother taught the koto, so the sound of traditional Japanese instruments was a constant presence at home. At the same time, it was a household where classical, jazz, and rock music also played. Music itself wasn't something special; it was just a part of daily life.

Fujiwara's encounter with the shakuhachi happened when he was in the fifth grade. An acquaintance of his grandfather wanted to try playing the shakuhachi, and suggested, "Why don't you try it with me?" That was the catalyst. But it was completely different from the flutes he had grown accustomed to.

"I'd blow into it, but nothing would happen. I went from a world of tooting sounds to sudden silence."

He never imagined that failing to produce a sound could be so frustrating. That's precisely why the joy he felt the moment he first made a sound was so intense.

"Honestly, it was just a single sound. But that's an experience I'll never forget."

Following in His Master's Footsteps Broadened His Horizons

In the fall of his second year of junior high school, at the age of 15, he became a disciple of the first-generation Hozan Yamamoto. He had already learned the basics from a local master and then from one of Yamamoto's own students, finally reaching the main lineage.

In the world of shakuhachi, Yamamoto was a clear "heretic" and a "pioneer." He didn't limit himself to classical pieces, collaborating with orchestras and jazz musicians. He constantly created new compositions. For Fujiwara, this was a revelation.

"There was a kind of shakuhachi music I had never heard before. Hozan-sensei's compositions were technically and expressively difficult, but incredibly captivating." Someday, I want to stand on that stage too. With this thought, Fujiwara continued to follow in his master's footsteps.

The shakuhachi Fujiwara calls his "partner" in this interview is one he acquired in 1998. Its length is the so-called "standard 1 shaku 8 sun." This single flute became the benchmark for Fujiwara's playing.

"As I continued to play it, this instrument became the standard for my own blowing technique."

He has other shakuhachi that he's been using since his junior high school days. But this particular one is special.

"It probably took me about three years to be able to make this shakuhachi sing properly."

If you don't have enough breath, it won't sound. If the pressure isn't right, the tone becomes thin. It's always inconsistent and doesn't respond easily.

"But once I learned how to play this instrument properly, I found that I could naturally produce a good sound on other shakuhachi as well."

It was precisely because it was such a demanding instrument that it trained Fujiwara's body and sharpened his senses.

The Shakuhachi Is His "Voice"

Fujiwara describes the shakuhachi as being "the same as my own voice."

"If I'm not feeling well, the sound reflects that, and if I'm in good shape, it responds beautifully."

An instrument made of bamboo is also affected by humidity and temperature. But Fujiwara doesn't blame the instrument.

"The most important thing is my own body: my throat, my breathing, whether I'm inhaling properly."

As he has gotten older and entered his 50s, he has also become more conscious of physical conditioning. He has realized that moving his body changes the state of his breath.

"I believe this instrument is the one thing that most honestly embodies what I want to express."

Things that cannot be fully conveyed with words. The fluctuations of emotion. The passage of time. It allows him to express all of these as sound.

"That's why it's my partner, I suppose."

For Fujiwara, the shakuhachi he has stood by for nearly 40 years can no longer be described by the simple word "tool." It is another voice that reflects his very self.

—— To be continued...
Next time, we'll dive into the shakuhachi he's played for 30 years and explore his reasons for hoping it will "change as little as possible."

Event Info

The "藤原道山尺八コンサート" will be held in Aichi (2025/6/26), Osaka (2025/7/4), and Tokyo (2025/7/10). The shakuhachi and piano duo will present a program that interweaves original compositions with a number of genre-defying masterpieces.
For more details on the performances: https://dozan.jp/concert/

Additionally, his 25th anniversary album, "邂 Kai," is now available.
Find out more here: https://do-market.stores.jp/items/67d306f799747d63a81406d0