Kahului, Maui — Kahului Jodo Mission is honored to present The Sacred & the Secular: Traditional and Contemporary Shakuhachi Music, a free concert of the iconic Japanese bamboo flute featuring internationally acclaimed master Christopher Yohmei Blasdel, on Saturday, November 22, 2025, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The evening will showcase the soothing, vibrant, and spiritual sounds of the shakuhachi. With its intimate historical ties to Buddhism, especially the Zen tradition in which komusō, or “monks of nothingness,” used the instrument not merely for music-making but as a sacred tool for attaining enlightenment, the shakuhachi continues to speak to both ancient practice and contemporary artistic expression.

Performed by shakuhachi master Christopher Yohmei Blasdel, the program will include Buddhist-inspired ceremonial and meditative honkyoku as well as contemporary works that highlight how the instrument has become loved across the globe as one of Japan’s most versatile and expressive musical voices. Blasdel studied under Living National Treasure Goro Yamaguchi for over thirty years, receiving an MFA in ethnomusicology from Tokyo University of the Arts and earning his shihan master ranking. A performer, scholar, and global ambassador of the shakuhachi, he blends tradition with contemporary innovation and has taught, performed, and collaborated with artists, universities, and festivals around the world.

This special event is made possible through generous support from the East-West Center and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Free admission, donations appreciated.