EXTREMELY RARE Edo Era hitoyogiri with original box
EXTREMELY RARE Edo Period Hitoyogiri with Original Box
Circa early 18th–to early 19th century | Japan
An extraordinary and museum-worthy artifact, this Edo-era hitoyogiri is an exceptionally rare find—one of the few remaining examples of its kind, preserved in remarkable condition and still housed in its original kiri-wood box. The hitoyogiri (一節切), often regarded as the precursor to the modern shakuhachi, is both a historical instrument and a spiritual object, once used in both folk and courtly traditions before falling into obscurity by the late Edo period.
Crafted from a single section of madake bamboo and finished with natural urushi lacquer, this instrument bears the patina and subtle wear of age without compromising structural integrity or tonehole clarity. Its shorter length and minimalistic form are characteristic of early shakuhachi predecessors—designed for solo meditative practice rather than ensemble performance.
The accompanying box—original, lacquered, and fitted precisely to the instrument—shows signs of Edo-period craftsmanship of the 18th–19th-century Japanese woodworking. Rarely do both the instrument and box survive as a pair, making this set uniquely valuable to collectors, performers, and historians alike.
The instrument boast its own unique name as well. 心理 Shinri (the way of the mind)
EXTREMELY RARE Edo Period Hitoyogiri with Original Box
Circa early 18th–to early 19th century | Japan
An extraordinary and museum-worthy artifact, this Edo-era hitoyogiri is an exceptionally rare find—one of the few remaining examples of its kind, preserved in remarkable condition and still housed in its original kiri-wood box. The hitoyogiri (一節切), often regarded as the precursor to the modern shakuhachi, is both a historical instrument and a spiritual object, once used in both folk and courtly traditions before falling into obscurity by the late Edo period.
Crafted from a single section of madake bamboo and finished with natural urushi lacquer, this instrument bears the patina and subtle wear of age without compromising structural integrity or tonehole clarity. Its shorter length and minimalistic form are characteristic of early shakuhachi predecessors—designed for solo meditative practice rather than ensemble performance.
The accompanying box—original, lacquered, and fitted precisely to the instrument—shows signs of Edo-period craftsmanship of the 18th–19th-century Japanese woodworking. Rarely do both the instrument and box survive as a pair, making this set uniquely valuable to collectors, performers, and historians alike.
The instrument boast its own unique name as well. 心理 Shinri (the way of the mind)
EXTREMELY RARE Edo Period Hitoyogiri with Original Box
Circa early 18th–to early 19th century | Japan
An extraordinary and museum-worthy artifact, this Edo-era hitoyogiri is an exceptionally rare find—one of the few remaining examples of its kind, preserved in remarkable condition and still housed in its original kiri-wood box. The hitoyogiri (一節切), often regarded as the precursor to the modern shakuhachi, is both a historical instrument and a spiritual object, once used in both folk and courtly traditions before falling into obscurity by the late Edo period.
Crafted from a single section of madake bamboo and finished with natural urushi lacquer, this instrument bears the patina and subtle wear of age without compromising structural integrity or tonehole clarity. Its shorter length and minimalistic form are characteristic of early shakuhachi predecessors—designed for solo meditative practice rather than ensemble performance.
The accompanying box—original, lacquered, and fitted precisely to the instrument—shows signs of Edo-period craftsmanship of the 18th–19th-century Japanese woodworking. Rarely do both the instrument and box survive as a pair, making this set uniquely valuable to collectors, performers, and historians alike.
The instrument boast its own unique name as well. 心理 Shinri (the way of the mind)