Restored
Vintage
Shakuhachi

Upgraded to a
Professional Standard


Photo Gallery

Tai Hei Shakuhachi
Made & Sold
Over the Years



The instruments on this page are not merely vintage shakuhachi being recycled and sold in an "as is" condition. There are many other venues and websites where one can purchase an unvetted, albeit expensive, shakuhachi based on appearance and/or name recognition only. This is not one of them.

The hanko on the left reads "Retuned by Ku Setsu". It assures that each flute listed below has been closely evaluated, then totally restored and upgraded to the highest possible acoustical and performance quality.

Any cracks in the bamboo that have been repaired with a full complement of bindings applied to protect the bamboo qualifies the instrument for Tai Hei Shakuhachi's Lifetime Guarantee.



Cat. # Size Key Description Price Current Status Photo
1.5'
AV-15-1 1.5' F Tozan-ryu. Maker: Masuda Shuho. Two-piece shakuhachi. Utaguchi with 14K gold border. Hairline crack in top section repaired. $2250 SOLD Show Me Photo
1.6'
AV-16-2 1.6' E Tozan-ryu. Maker: Seikado / Kitahara Kozan I. Cracks in bamboo repaired with inliad rattan binding.
Before & After Photos of the Restoration
as well as information on Seikado / Kitahara Kozan I
$1550 SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-16-1 1.6' E Tozan-ryu. Maker: Rokuzan (Deer Mountain). Previously owned by a licensed master (shihan) of the Tozan-ryu. Excellent condition. No cracks in the bamboo other than one at the root that has been repaired with inlaid rattan binding. $5000 SOLD Show Me Photo
1.8'
AV-18-10 1.8' D

Kinko-ryu. Very rare 1.8' jiari shakuhachi inscribed with the hanko of Aoki Reibo I.

Aoki Reibo I (初世 青木 鈴慕) was born July 15, 1890 in Yokohama, Kanagawa ken. He was introduced to shakuhachi by his father and elder brother. At the age of 18, he began studying with the renown teacher Kawase Junsuke I from whom he received a shihan two years later. He also studied with the great Nezasa-ha player, Nagano Kyokuei. In 1909, Aoki Reibo I founded Reibokai. In 1921, established his own school, Tokyo Chikuyusha, and later directed of both Nihon Sankyoku Kyokai and Shakuhachi Kyokai. He passed away on July 2, 1955.

Aoki Reibo II (青木鈴慕), born 1935, succeeded his father as head of Reibokai. In 1999, he was awarded Japan's highest cultural designation, Living National Treasure (人間国宝 Ningen Kokuō).

More information about Reibokai
at Shakuhachi Grand Master Elizabeth Reian Bennett's website.

This rare vintage shakuhachi sat neglected and unplayed for many years, but, fortunately, stored in a safe enviroment. Two hairline cracks in the upper section of the bamboo have been repaired and stabilized. The lower section of the flute is in pristine condition with no cracks at all, but the entire shakuhachi has been preemptively bound with inlaid rattan binding to mitigate any future damage. For this reason, it qualifies for Tai Hei Shakuhachi's lifetime guarantee assuring it will always remain in a playable condition.

Some cosmetic changes to the flute made over its lifetime, but not in keeping with the traditional aesthetic for shakuhachi, have been discarded. The interior precision bore, nakasugi middle joint, and its decorative rings are now fully restored, returing the instrument as closely as possible to its original condition. The acoustical and performance qualities of this shakuhachi have been enhanced as part of the restoration, including fine tuning of its intonation and resonance without compromising its unique and subtle tone color (neiro). This shakuhachi performs at a very high level with strong resonance for each of the open hole frequencies, a wide dynamic range, and a large envelope of sound.

$4250

SOLD

Show Me Photo

AV-18-8 1.8' D Tozan-ryu. Very rare shakuhachi inscribed with the hanko of Miyagawa Nyozan, 35th generation Meian-ry komuso from the Itcho-ken temple. Nyozan is best known as the composer of the revered honkyoku, Ajikan 阿字観. This composition, one of the most famous in the entire shakuhachi repertory, is played by nearly everyone who performs traditional honkyoku."Complete restored and upgraded. Excellent condition other than a small hairline crack below 4th finger hole repaired with inliad rattan binding.
Before & After Photos of the Restoration
as well as information on Miyagawa Nyozan
$2950 SOLD

Show Me Photo

AV-18-7 1.8' D Tozan-ryu. Kono Gyokusui, Sr. Complete ly restored and upgraded. Sterling silver nakasuké rings. 14K gold utaguchi Cracks in bamboor repaired with inlaid rattan binding. $2250 SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-18-6 1.8' D Kinko-ryu. Maker unknown. Small hairline crack in top section repaired with inlaid rattan binding.

$1800

SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-18-5 1.8' D Tozan-ryu. Converted to 7-holes. Maker: Ikkaku. Excellent condition. No cracks. $2500 SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-18-4 1.8' D Kinko-ryu. Maker: Shugetsu. Hairline crack repaired with inlaid rattan binding. $1850 SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-18-3 1.8' D Kinko-ryu. Maker unknown. Rattan nakasukgi rings. Kezurine style root. Unique bamboo pattern. Two small hairline cracks; one originally repaired with dovetail. $2250 SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-18-2 1.8' D Tozan-ryu. Maker: Toh Sui. Sterling silver nakasuké rings. 14K gold utaguchi. One crack repaired with inlaid rattan binding. $2250 SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-18-1 1.8' D Tozan-ryu. Converted to 7-holes. Excellent condition. No cracks. $2500 SOLD Show Me Photo
1.9'
AV-19-4 1.9' C# Tozan-ryu. Maker: Seikado / Kitahara Kozan I. Inliad rattan binding preemptively applied. Excellent condition. No cracks. $2500 SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-19-3 1.9' C# Kinko-ryu. Made from madaké bamboo. Prehistoric mastodon ivory utaguchi inlay. Excellent condition. No cracks. $2500 SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-19-2 1.9' C# Kinko-ryu. Made from madaké bamboo. Two-piece, Large-Hole Neptune-style shakuhachi. Ivory utaguchi bordered with gold. No hanko, but may have been made by Masuda Shuho. Excellent condition. No cracks. $2500 SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-19-1 1.9' C# Kinko-ryu. Maker unknown. Excellent condition. No cracks. $3000 SOLD Show Me Photo
2.0'
AV-20-34 2.0' C

Kinko-ryu. Very rare shakuhachi inscribed with the hanko of Aoki Reibo I.

Aoki Reibo I (初世 青木 鈴慕) was born July 15, 1890 in Yokohama, Kanagawa ken. He was introduced to shakuhachi by his father and elder brother. At the age of 18, he began studying with the renown teacher Kawase Junsuke I from whom he received a shihan two years later. He also studied with the great Nezasa-ha player, Nagano Kyokuei. In 1909, Aoki Reibo I founded Reibokai. In 1921, established his own school, Tokyo Chikuyusha, and later directed of both Nihon Sankyoku Kyokai and Shakuhachi Kyokai. He passed away on July 2, 1955.

Aoki Reibo II (青木鈴慕), born 1935, succeeded his father as head of Reibokai. In 1999, he was awarded Japan's highest cultural designation, Living National Treasure (人間国宝 Ningen Kokuō).

More information about Reibokai
at Shakuhachi Grand Master Elizabeth Reian Bennett's web site.

Completely restored and upgraded. Excellent condition other than hairline cracks above and alongside the 4th finger hole repaired many years ago. These cracks were recently stablized and reinforced with inliad rattan binding. The nakasuké joint and its decorative rings were fully restored to their origin condition.

$4000 SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-20-3 2.0' C Kinko-ryu. A rare Jin Nyodo Ni Shaku. Completely restored. Cracks repaired with inlaid rattan binding.
Before & After photos of the Restoration
as well as information about Jin Nyodo
$2500 SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-20-2 2.0' C Kinko-ryu. Maker: Chudo. Utaguchi. inlay bordered with 14K god Three hanko (maker's stamps). Small hairline crack near top repaired with inlaid rattan binding. $2500 SOLD Show Me Photo
AV-20-1 2.0' C Kinko-ryu. Maker: Kyodo. Excellent condition. No cracks. $1600 SOLD Show Me Photo
2.1'
AV-21-1 2.2' B

Kinko-ryu. A very rare Jin Nyodo Ni Shaku I Sun. Completely restored. One crack in upper section repaired with inlaid rattan binding.
Before & After photos of the Restoration
as well as information about Jin Nyodo

$5000 SOLD Show Me Photo
2.2'
AV-22-1 2.2' B Tozan-ryu. Maker: Chikuho. This shakuhachi has been lengthened in addition to having holes #3 and #4 moved to improve its intonation. Excellent condition. No cracks. $900 SOLD Show Me Photo

Click on Show Me Photo to see photos of the instrument listed.


Please note, the photo gallery of shakuhachi flutes listed on this page have already been sold. They are no longer available for sale.
Links to instruments Currently Available for Sale are listed below.

Currently Available for Sale

Photo Gallery

Tai Hei Shakuhachi Flutes • Monty H. Levenson • P.O. Box 294, Willits, CA 95490 • (707) 459-3402 • [email protected]


Tai Hei Shakuhachi Catalog
Shakuhachi: The Sound of Nature
Origins & History of the Shakuhachi
Bamboo Used for Shakuhachi
Precision Cast Bore Technology

Models of Shakuhachi
Professional Root-End Shakuhachi
Jinashi - Natural Bore Flutes
Student Level Instruments
Meditation Shakuhachi

Shakuhachi Headjoint for the Silver Flute
Traditional Styles
How Shakuhachi are Graded
Binding
Guarantee
Flute Accessories
Shakuhachi Repair & Restoration
Frequently Asked Questions
Endorsements
Free Evaluation
Biography

Price List of Shakuhachi Flutes

In Stock & Currently For Sale
Precision Bore Shakuhachi
Jinashi - Natural Bore Shakuhachi
How to Order

Arrow Tai Hei Shakuhachi Homepage
Arrow Main Menu