Kodō Araki VI
There are few sounds more quintessentially Japanese than the shakuhachi, an end-blown bamboo flute. Kodō Araki the 6th is a living connection to this music dating back to the middle of the 18th century. For the Araki family, the shakuhachi is more than a musical instrument; it is a conduit handed down through his family from father to son for generations. It is as much a tool for artistic expression as it is for cultural storytelling.
Since his debut in 1988, Kodō the 6th has served as ambassador for Kinko-ryū, the primary branch of shakuhachi study, through education and performance. Araki played for the 1200th Anniversary of Kiyomizu-dera’s Kannon Bodhisattva; was a featured soloist with the Seattle Symphony and performed at the Newport Folk Festival, and was invited to participate in the Interdependence Day Celebration in Mexico City and the Future of Music Coalition in Rio de Janeiro.
Artist Support Program 2025: Six Generations of Kinko-ryū Music: a suite of three new original compositions for the shakuhachi in the Kinko tradition
