Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Itamar Foguel wrote:

There used to be a page about what column of bamboo you should harvest from bamboo groves somewhere on the net but i cant seem to find it anymore, i would like to have that info if some1 still has it.
Thanks

I think that was probably on Tom Deaver's website, which he's now redesigned, and it doesn't seem to be there any longer.

Here's the current site: http://www.ch-you.ne.jp/users/tom-tom/

You can email him from the site, and perhaps he can come up with the info from that page.

Do you have access to bamboo groves ?

I have two groves on my property, one is perhaps 25 years old and is 'black bamboo', phylostichys Nigra.
the second I transplanted four years ago and is a variety of madake.

The black is good for reasons that many culms are of a suitable interior diameter, however it is a softer wood because I think by its fourth year of growth it loses its leaves and dies off, thus does not take up a higher percentage of silica and the wall thickness is just adequate.
It is a good bamboo to learn with, I dig it up in the winter when growth has finished for the year and try to select third year culms. First year culms are too thin and have almost no internal taper, you will also find a leaf surrounding the base of the culm and a kind of frosting on the skin, don't dig up first year culms, second year are okay, the leaf has dropped off and most of the frosting has gone, third year are 'firm' to feel and the skin is now quite smooth.

Madake is a finer wood, though also requires several years of growth to develop wall thickness, internal taper and wood density. So far I have dug up culms after one years growth, too soon, two years growth, still too soon, and in another six months I will be checking out three year old culms. I know how old they are because in 2007 I tagged good diameter culms for future identification.

Both species are 'running' bamboo rather than 'clumping' bamboo, so there is some room around each culm to cut the shallow roots and dig it up. the culm emerges from the ground in late Spring, early summer and is already its final diameter. As time progresses the culm grows taller and the internal wall thickens, particularly from the ground up, giving the desired internal taper.
As the culm gets older the lower nodes rise up above ground level and take roots with it, which later dry and break off, so this will give some indication as to the age of the culm. Also the culm will be taller as it ages and its' branches will be further off the ground.
Sulcus grooves often appear along with the first branching though sometimes lower and these are not desireable.
Node spacing varies and the ideal culm will have a spacing that allows the finger holes to be evenly spaced between nodes, you may like to take a tape measure and calculator into the grove with you, or as I do, I select initially by age and diameter, then work with the node spacing later, very few culms give that perfectly ideal spacing but enough are suitable.
When the culm emerges from the ground it soon aims for the greatest area of sunlight. If the ground is horizontal and the culm is inside the grove it will go straight up. If it is at the edge of the grove it will angle away thus giving a curve at the base. This curve then indicates the front of the flute.
Each node is at an angle, and alternat in a zzig-zag manner. The ideal flute has seven nodes including each end and the blow end node angles back towards your chin. This ideal culm is rare, extremely rare. One reason why Shakuhachi are cut in two pieces is to give correct tuning length and positioning of finger holes and node angle, because to find a culm that has all these properties is like one in a thousand.

After digging up a culm, or in my case in winter, I dig up dozens of culms, all I deem suitable, I leave all the leaves on and begin the drying, the leaves help draw moisture from the culm. After a month I cut the culm to flute length plus one extra node and continue to dry in a shaded dry location, under my house. You need to check that this location gets a breeze and no fungus can develop. I find a minimum of six months is necessary, the longer the better. some culms will develop cracks, firewood.

Over the years I have gotten to know these groves intimately and know where the suitable culms are and patterns of growth. Shortly after the new culms have emerged and have a meter or two of height, I thin out unsuitable culms, those that are too narrow or block the paths I have opened into the grove. I keep good diameter culms even if they are in the middle of a path. I leave the fatter culms, bamboo has so many uses. At this stage the culm is very thin and can be cut with pruning shears and I cut them up in the grove so this material is going back into the soil of the grove, it will rot away more quickly than if the wood is older. This helps keep the culms accessible for me but I keep in mind that the grove is one plant and each culm is supporting the whole plant.

I appreciate that I have this opportunity to develop these groves for my specific Shakuhachi interest, this is very special.

Hope this helps some.

Kel.

Initially I think there is great value in simply hanging out in bamboo groves for a decent period getting familiar with the variety of individual culms and also the variety of bamboo species.
I think historically, flute makers worked with what is available, not necessarily with a specific bamboo.
The more knowledge you can glean from hands-on experience with the grove and bamboo, the more efficiently you will be able to use it.
Over the years my respect for bamboo has gone from vaguely none to something enriched and marvelous.
If you are in a grove with fresh culms popping out of the ground, snap one off and take a bite from the tip.
Cook it up in your stir-fry.

K.

Thanks, Kel.
Tom also send me his old site section about harvesting in text without the photos by email and i wana share it, so, here it is:

***

A bamboo grove in Japan can have thousands of individual culms of varying diameters, heights, colors, ages, shapes, node spacings and curvatures. No two are the same. Knowing which bamboo culm to dig from the grove requires a complete understanding of how the finger holes and bamboo nodes relate to one another in the finished flute, what options are available when a less than desirable condition presents itself and where the length is adjusted to give you the flute that plays the pitch you want. Only one species of bamboo is acceptable, and each individual culm must meet narrowly defined specifications for age, diameter, node count and spacing, shape and the relationship between the front of the culm and its direction of curvature. If the following explanation seems to be rather complex, don't dismay, it has been given countless times to people who have played shakuhachi for many years and many of them have been unable to follow it the first time through. If you already have a shakuhachi or know someone who does, get it out and look at it as you read what comes next. It should give you some insight about the thought that has been put into just looking for and digging up stock for your BEI SHU SHAKUHACHI years ago.

Although shakuhachi may be made from a number of various materials including wood, plastics, ceramics, glass and so on, the most preferred material in Japan is Japanese Giant Timber Bamboo, called madake and scientifically, Phyllostachys bambusoidies Zieb et Zucc. This bamboo is commonly found throughout the Japanese countryside and in isolated urban areas from the northern Kanto (Tokyo) region south and west to the lower end of Kyushu. It is one of the most abundant of all the bamboos in Japan. Like other bamboo of this type, a single culm or stem of madake begins its life 20 to 30 centimeters underground as a small bud located at a node on the large root or rhizome. The entire culm, which may be as long as 20 meters and as thick as 25 centimeters when fully grown, is contained within the 1 or 2 centimeter long bud much like an extremely compact telescope. In very late spring or early summer the bud begins to swell and elongate. When it emerges from the ground as a bamboo shoot the new culm has already attained its final diameter. In the span of about 30 days it will also have attained its final height. Unlike a tree, it will grow neither thicker nor taller as years pass. It is hollow inside except for the thin membranes across the section at the branch joints or nodes and, by removing these membranes, may be easily fashioned into a pipe or tube. To be suitable for use as a shakuhachi, one sort of pipe, the culm must have grown to a narrowly limited circumference with its nodes spaced at rigidly defined intervals along certain sections of its length.

A large Japanese grove of madake will produce thousands of new culms each year but only a very small number will grow to a configuration that is suitable for shakuhachi. Of this small number many culms must be rejected in the grove for various reasons: some will grow around stones or roots in the ground causing deformities, some will grow in undesirable cross-sectional shapes such as triangles or fairly flat ovals, some will become homes for insects with entrance holes opened through their walls, some will grow against another culm or tree causing surface damage, some will be hacked by farmers looking for culms for other purposes. In large measure the unavailability of suitable culms accounts for the high price of fine quality shakuhachi. Normally bamboo culms for shakuhachi are dug in the winter during the dormant season. Although tradition limits the harvest period to the three coldest months of the year, from mid December to very early March, it is now common for professionals, who do nothing but dig bamboo for shakuhachi, to harvest from early October until mid April.

Among the thousands of bamboo groves at every turn throughout the Japanese countryside, madake and a related species named hachiku (Phyllostachys henonis Bean) are relatively common. These two species are so similar that the inexperienced person frequently selects culms of both types. However, upon close examination there are significant differences in surface texture, node formation, color and, not apparent until the specimen has been dug and cleaned, culm base shape. From a distance both madake and hachiku groves, with relatively fewer and larger leaves and a non-drooping stance, will be easily distinguishable from other bamboos which have more smaller leaves and tend to droop as if weeping. Madake appears as having been startled, with hair standing on end. Moso bamboo, another very common type, grows with nodes very close together and bends over from the weight of its many small leaves. Once a grove of madake has been located selection of individual culms may proceed following a few deceptively simple rules for determining age, circumference, cross sectional shape, node spacing and orientation. It is possible to determine the approximate age of bamboo by its color and by the existence or non-existence of culm sheaths at the base. For the first two or three years the surface will be relatively dark green with an oil-like coating which may contain many small black spots and streaks. The surface will be rough to the touch. Sheaths which encase the new bamboo will still be intact where the culm has emerged from the earth. With increasing age surface color becomes lighter green going to dull yellow, the oily substance weathers away leaving a smoother surface texture and the sheaths decay. However, color may be deceptive along the edges of the grove where sunlight directly strikes and bleaches the lower portions of the culms. Keeping all this in mind, only those culms that are between five and eight years old should be selected. When younger than three years old the flesh is relatively soft, having a large water content. When finally cured, this young bamboo is likely to shrivel rendering it useless for shakuhachi. As living bamboo ages it begins to loose some of its elasticity, especially in the basal portions. Older than about seven or eight years it will be difficult if not impossible to bend into the characteristic shakuhachi curve. Shakuhachi are limited in circumference to a size that may be comfortably placed against the human chin. The distance across the section must also be within a range that permits playability. Although there are odd exceptions such as Watazumido and his extremely large diameter shakuhachi, circumference normally falls between 3 sun 4 bu (0.34 shaku or 10.3 cm) and 3 sun 9 bu (0.39 shaku or 11.8 cm). As a rule of thumb, shorter shakuhachi may be a little thinner and longer shakuhachi may be slightly thicker. In the grove, circumference is measured just below the node which will be the upper end of the finished shakuhachi. Precise measurement may be accomplished by measuring the actual circumference or with a small wooden gauge notched to maximum and minimum diameters on opposite ends. Once age and circumference selection have been accomplished attention is given to the spacing between culm nodes. Although a shakuhachi may be made from almost any portion of a culm having suitable circumference, the most highly valued shakuhachi contain exactly seven nodes with the lowest three or four nodes bearing roots. Four nodes must be below the first or lowest finger hole while two nodes must be above the fifth or highest finger hole. Thus the five shakuhachi finger holes must fit between the fourth and sixth nodes. The fifth node from the bottom of the shakuhachi always lies between the second and third finger holes. Furthermore, bamboo nodes and shakuhachi finger holes are not permitted to coincide nor lie in very close proximity to one another. These relationships are presented graphically below with nodes and holes represented by N and O respectively and I representing the location of the cut for the connecting joint on two-piece shakuhachi. The bottom of the culm is on the left.

(Bottom) N1  N2  N3  N4  O1  O2  N5  O3  I  O4  O5  N6  N7 (Top) Nodes, N and Finger Holes, O Keep in mind that shakuhachi are normally made in two pieces simply because it is unusual for a culm to grow to the required length from N1 to N7. Although it is possible to obtain the lower and upper halves of a shakuhachi from different pieces of bamboo, it is much more convenient to get them both from the same culm, either removing or inserting a short section, as the case may be, to obtain the desired length. Remember that the distances from either end of the shakuhachi, N1 or N7, to each of the finger holes, O1 through O5, are fixed, while the distances from either end to any of the internal nodes are quite variable.

Determining the suitability of the upper portion is quite simple as it is always well above ground level and easily seen. As the variable distance between the sixth and seventh nodes becomes longer, the sixth node falls closer to the fixed fifth hole. In most cases, however, the spacing between N6 and N7 is short enough to not interfere with the fifth hole. A quick check of this node spacing will determine if any particular culm is worth pursuing further. In actual practice some culms with excessively long sixth to seventh node spacing are dug and later made into shakuhachi. During the construction process, in order to move the sixth node away from the fixed fifth hole, these pieces require the additional work of removing a short section of bamboo between N6 and N7 and permanently joining the two pieces together. Shakuhachi thus made are easily identifiable by the cut and joint near the top of the flute. (Bottom)  N1  N2  N3  N4  O1  O2  N5  O3  I Lower Portion Nodes and Finger Holes I  O4  O5  N6  N7  (Top) Upper Portion Nodes and Finger Holes Finding a suitable lower portion is another matter altogether. In virtually all cases the bottom three or four root bearing nodes, N1 to N4 are embedded in the earth in a tightly formed mass of soil which frequently contains stones and roots of bamboo and other plants. The precise location of the bottom of the shakuhachi cannot be determined until after the culm is dug and thoroughly cleaned. However, the third node N3 is usually visible after cleaning some soil away from the base of the culm. The roots protruding from this node may be taken as lying in an average location from the bottom of the flute and used as a convenient, albeit variable, reference point for measuring the distance to the fifth node, N5, lying between the second and third finger holes, O2 and O3. It must be kept in mind that an acceptable location for the fifth node, N5, is not a specific distance from anything. N5 must lie between O2 and O3 (hole locations are more or less fixed distances from either the top or the bottom of the flute) without obstructing fingering techniques. Most frequently, the fifth node will lie nearer to one hole than the other. Of course, the most attractive location for the fifth node is exactly midway between the holes on either side. In actual practice a perfect hole-node-hole spacing is somewhat rare and will add to the value of the shakuhachi.

If all the requirements of age, circumference, cross sectional shape and node spacing have been met, the often overlooked orientation requirement should be considered. Orientation has to do with the relationship between the front of the shakuhachi and the front of the bamboo itself, two different and distinct ideas. The front of the shakuhachi is simply the center line upon which the holes are opened and perpendicular to which the utaguchi or mouthpiece is cut. The front of the shakuhachi is always located such that the bamboo, which never grows straight, is curving away from the player at the bottom. Yet a shakuhachi curving inward toward the player could just as easily be constructed. To easily locate the front of any culm (not the front of the flute) it is necessary to observe only one culm node. Nodes are not formed straight around the circumference of the bamboo. They always cross the bamboo at an angle. Adjacent nodes are angled in opposite directions. Bamboo never grows with adjacent nodes parallel. The front of the bamboo is located at the highest point of the node (N4) which will be just below the first finger hole (O1). Called either "dake bushi" or "goro bushi", this is the only named node.

When the front line of the shakuhachi, the line the finger holes fall on, which is determined by the curve of the culm, coincides with the highest point of the "dake bushi", the shakuhachi is said to be made on the front of the bamboo. Shakuhachi may also be made with any other relationship between the bamboo and the flute; right, left , rear or any intermediate position. When examining culms in the grove, those pieces with the "dake bushi" angled up to the inside of the natural curve will generally be front made shakuhachi and so on for each condition, right, left and rear. After a suitable culm has been located, the upper portion should be cut off. Because bamboo has a tendency to split lengthwise while being cut, be sure to make the cut two or three nodes above the node which will be the top of the finished flute. Later the top may be cut back to the correct length depending upon whether it is a "normal" or "jumping over" piece (see below). After cutting the lateral roots and the rhizome on both sides of the culm, it may be removed from the earth . If the rhizome is not severed it is probable that the bottom of the culm will split while being removed, rendering the piece unusable. After the piece has been cleaned of all the soil and excess small roots the base of the flute will become apparent. Unnecessary nodes at the bottom should be cut off leaving the raw bamboo about 3 or 4 millimeters longer than the finished instrument. Lastly, the excessive nodes at the top, if any, should be removed, leaving about 15 centimeters of bamboo above the top most node. To make this last top cut in the right place it is necessary to understand how two piece shakuhachi are made from one piece of bamboo.

In the other, less desirable, condition, called "jumping over" or "removing a node", the raw length between the first and seventh nodes is much shorter than required. Consequently, the top of the instrument will be at the next higher or eighth node of the raw bamboo instead of at the seventh. When cutting the bamboo to obtain the required length, a node must be removed. To ensure that the finished shakuhachi has adjacent nodes at alternating angles, the upper half must be rotated 180 degrees before constructing the connecting joint. Of course, for pieces that are far from nearly round in cross section, the two halves will not come together evenly. Such manipulation is readily apparent to experienced shakuhachi players in Japan. It is important to understand these differences when selecting bamboo in the grove and when selecting a shakuhachi for purchase.

It should be apparent that the same specifications and culm selection procedures may be applied to shakuhachi of any length, the model being either stretched or shrunk to fit the length of the desired instrument. In practice there are variations from the model which, although less desirable, are also acceptable . When the distance between N1 and N5 is exceptionally long and N4 is still below the first finger hole, one or more of the bottom nodes will be removed. That is, N1 or both N1 and N2 will be missing. The finished flute will thus have either six or five nodes. These are always lower quality pieces and are rarely used at BEI SHU SHAKUHACHI WORKSHOP. In other cases a culm will grow with the root bearing nodes very close together, necessitating an extra node, N0, at the bottom. The result is a shakuhachi with eight nodes instead of the usual seven. Because of their rarity these pieces are highly valued by many shakuhachi players. As shakuhachi become longer raw bamboo of the "jumping over" type becomes the rule; seven noded raw stock for long shakuhachi is rather unusual. Furthermore, long stock with sufficient length between N6 and N7 becomes scarce. When this length N6 to N7 is short the distance from 05 to N6 becomes unattractively long and the length N5 to N6 becomes longer than the length N6 to N7. That is, the finished shakuhachi displays a distance between two lower nodes that is longer than the distance between two higher nodes. This condition never happens naturally. These pieces are usually not used for shakuhachi construction unless more suitable stock is not available. Everything considered, a perfect piece of bamboo (desirable age, preferred circumference, front orientation, seven nodes, thick roots, comfortable to hold, no physical defects, attractive coloring, nearly equal spacing from all finger holes to adjacent nodes) and so on, is rare indeed. Such pieces are very highly valued by the Japanese shakuhachi community and are normally priced accordingly.