Learn to Play the Hitoyogiri
We are delighted to welcome back shakuhachi master, Alcvin Ryūzen Ramos, for the final instalment of an immersive series of programs introducing the world of the ancient hitoyogiri bamboo flute, the direct ancestor of the better-known shakuhachi.
Workshop: Learn to Play the Hitoyogiri Bamboo Flute
Date: Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Location: SaBi Tea Arts, Vancouver
Join Shakuhachi master Alcvin Ryūzen Ramos for an introduction to the basics of hitoyogiri tuning, fingering, and the mysteries of Japanese flute notation, before learning to play the first piece in the repertoire of the Sōsa-Ryū, the fundamental school of the hitoyogiri bamboo flute with roots in the early Edo period.
For those who don’t have their own hitoyogiri, Alcvin will have some available to borrow or to purchase and take home with you. Handmade hitoyogiri starting at $90 for participants.
Capacity: 10 people max
Cost: $45
*$25 off (with discount code) for those who participated in our June hitoyogiri-making workshop. Please bring your flute and get a free tune-up, as needed, and learn to play your flute.
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This year marks the 400-year anniversary of the death of Ōmori Sōkun, the first pioneer of hitoyogiri in the Edo period. In conjunction with hitoyogiri events taking place from May to September all over Japan, Alcvin’s contribution to the celebrations included a lecture on the history of the forgotten hitoyogiri and demonstrations of the beautiful sounds of this ancient instrument and a workshop in which participants made their own hitoyogiri from local bamboo from the Sunshine Coast.
About the Educator:
Born and trained in Japan in the classical Zen shakuhachi tradition, Alcvin also studied shakuhachi construction with several of Japan's finest makers. He is currently studying shakuhachi with Miura Ryūho in Akita and hityoyogiri with Takeo Izumi in Kyoto. Alcvin lives on the Sunshine Coast of BC, where he teaches and makes shakuhachi flutes and bamboo-inspired jewelry in his workshop in Madeira Park. For more information about Alcvin you can visit: alcvin.ca