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History of the Bell Shakuhachi and Testimonials
Before recorded history, we sculpted objects out of clay and made melodies on flutes of bone. Josen’s Bell Shakuhachi drew deeply from these ancient wellsprings of ingenuity, etched into our collective consciousness.
This all began in 2007 when Josen took a humble bamboo Jinashi shakuhachi of their making, and through a process of careful molding, cast its inner bore into another piece of bamboo. This was the first time anything like this had been done with a natural bamboo Jinashi shakuhachi.
This initial experiment sparked an odyssey. By 2012, after years of painstaking development, Josen completed the world’s first complete, inside-and-out replica of a Jinashi shakuhachi.
From Creation to Community
By 2013, the time felt right to introduce the Bell Shakuhachi to a broader audience. It was uncertain how it would resonate within the community. However, after releasing them, waves of orders and messages crashed in.
This early success also brought a sharp focus on the practicalities. It quickly became clear that the process needed refining. Josen also began to think of ways to replace the jet black resin with a more natural and sustainable bamboo fiber and resin eco-composite.
A New Bell Shakuhachi
The work continued, culminating in 2018 with the release of a new Bell Shakuhachi now cast from Josen’s bamboo fiber and resin eco-composite. Its reception was nothing short of phenomenal, far surpassing the popularity of the previous models. They were now finding homes with enthusiasts worldwide as fast as Josen could make them.
But even with this resounding success and the eventual help of an assistant, the intense demands of production proved to be too much. In 2022, Josen made the difficult decision to end production of the Bell, as it was.
A Final Form Emerges
After nearly two decades of unwavering commitment to the Bell Shakuhachi project, Josen found themselves with years of contemplation on the fate of this endeavor. Through countless hours of refinement, and discarding less savory or viable paths, Josen arrived at a final form and future for Bell Shakuhachi. However, now living in Europe, finding a suitable workspace to begin prototyping and producing them has proven far more challenging than back in the USA.
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Testimonials for the Bell c. 2018-2022
Riley Lee, Daishihan ‘Grandmaster’, PhD
ESS Shakuhachi Newsletter
Ken LaCosse – Mujitsu Taimu Shakuhachi
‘We all know what’s good about bamboo. Show people what’s good about other materials. Go Jon go!’ – Ken LaCosse
Brian Taigen Ritchie
‘The Bell Shakuhachi can be used for lessons, teaching, or performing up to the professional level. Super quality for the value. Well thought out design. Kudos to Jon for taking the initiative to produce a good instrument for the people.’ – Brian Tairaku Ritchie
