I was inviter by my father’s cousin to Reykjavik because he was pasning by as well.
I said yes because I thought it was a sandal I still hadn’t been in Iceland. I then – of course – found 2 places to play well helped by friends from Mills College, Oakland.

First concert was at the Zen Centre in Reykjavik. The contact was made by Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson. So grateful!

I also played at the venue Mengi on Sunday night with 3 local GREAT musicians. It was an Improv gig. How nice was that!!! The line-up was:
Kiku Day – shakuhachi
Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson – guitar
John McCowen – clarinets, recorders
Gyða Valtysdottir – cello

All fantastic musicians. So much fun!

I am extremely grateful to Christien Pryn, for having invited me to play Roxanna Panufnik’s Wild Ways for shakuhachi and choir at Rudersdal Sommerkoncerter on 22 August 2024. It is not easy to perform with a whole choir, and it needs to be a good choir, as it is a difficult piece for both the choir and shakuhachi. So I practiced a lot! I was nervous about how it will go with the choir (the Chamber choir Hymnia) and also how the conductor would be. In my experience choir conductors often conduct the phrasing for the choir and forget that the instrumentalist perhaps needs to know where we are. So I was excited about it all when I went to the first rehearsal on 19 August. But I didn’t need to worry at all. The Chamber Choir Hymnia was WONDERFUL! So good! And the conductor Flemming Windekilde was also soooooo good. It was a very comfortable situation to be playing under his conducting. We played at Nørum Kirke (church) on 25 August and we repeated the concert in Musikhuset København. I was veery happy finally to be able to play there. It was a hard process but what a great one! If you want to hear a good chamber choir in Denmark, then Hymnia is a good choice!

Here some photos from Nærum Kirke, Rudersdal Sommerkoncerter:

And here some photos from Musikhuset København:

Afterwards I had vegan sushi at my sister’s home

I have just been in Poland. This was a new country for me. I loved it – as I do with most places. I had a great time. I also had the most wonderful and also wondrous concert experience there. 4 mics were put out and picked environmental sounds and my shakuhachi sounds too of course. So I walked between the mics and played with the environmental sounds. We all had headphones on in order to be immersed in the sounds surrounding us. I had a great time imitating environmental sounds, go against it, and just be in dialogue with it.

I was impressed by the creativity and the arts – as least what I sensed in my short stay. I went to a sound installation only with breath sounds in a bomb shelter.

I was shown around very well by Rafal Mazur in the Nowa Huta area of Krakow. Nowa Huta is a very interesting example of socialist realist urban planning where each area of housing was a kind of microcosm with everything one needed in everyday life: kindergarden, school, medical care, shops etc. It was green and it was calm and very nice. It was built for the workers of a steel factory, which no longer operates as that.

I met 2 shakuhachi players, Pawel and Pietr. I hope I will see them again. Here with Pawel

In Waszawa (Warsaw) Katarina showed me around. We went into a small museum where it was shown how the city had been rebuilt after WWII. We went to an outdoor concert of Chopin piano music. I even saw where Frédéric Chopin (or Fryderyk Chopin) had literally left his heart in Warszawa. I also left a little pice of my heart in Poland – but not as literally as Chopin. I hope I will be back again soon

This year the European Shakuhachi Summer School were held in Finland at Friendship Inn near Salo right in the middle between Turku and Helsinki.

Before the Kaiden ceremony, which was the main purpose of this travel to Japan, I met up with so many wonderful shakuhachi people. Here are some of them:

I met up with the Fuke Myōan shakuhachi player Ishibashi Seigetsu and he Took me around. First we played at the shinto shrine Shimogamo Jinjya. No pictures as we were taken into a holy area where we were not allowed to take photos. Then we passed by Ishibashi san’s teacher’s grave. And did kenteki (offering of flute).

The next day I met up with Genshin sensei and Jared and Sangen. Together we visited Myōkō-ji Temple. Ishibashi Seigetsu san is organising a monthly shakuhachi gathering there. We took the opportunity to do a rehearsal for the next day’s Kaiden ceremony – at least for me.

On the 26th of May 2024, I had my kaiden ceremony in Fuke Myōan shakuhachi at Myōan-ji Temple in Kyoto, Japan. It was very interesting. After having played more than 34 years of shakuhachi, it is not that it was really important for me to become a dōshū – as it is called when you pass your kaiden. Kaiden can be compared to shihan in other shakuhachi lineages. I had officially studied a bit more than 5 years as a member of Myōan kyōkai – 5 years is a minimum you have to have been a member before you can do your kaiden even if you play shakuhachi well. That was also ok. I believe it takes a while to really understand a new style. To internalise the aesthetics and playing style for real. I studied with Sakai Seian Genshin, the 42nd kansu of Myōan-ji. He is a wonderful player and person. Actually a really interesting person. I also organise the World Shakuhachi Day on October 8 with him. It has been such a gift to get to know him and work with him. I am grateful. But I have to sat, my shakuhachi heart remains in Zensabo. There is no daubt bout that.

One of the more difficult side of the Kaiden ceremony was the clothing. Oh my goodness! I had to wear either a white or black kimono. I chose to buy a white kimono. Under that you have to wear a nagajiban. I brought one from Denmark. Under that there should be special underwear but I just had a t-shirt and knickers. On top of the kimono, I had hakama on. I had been looking forward to it as hakama as I had seen so far was tightened around the hip. But Alas! Women’s hakama was tightened much higher – and to my disappointment just as uncomfortable as kimono! On top of that I had a jittoku – a kind of monk’s wear on top. I was so hot.

Here I am with all my clothing. At the end of the ceremony we had to each give a speech. I was so hot I could hardly speak!

There were some religious aspect of the ceremony. Everyone recitered hanya shingyō – the heart sutra. We were 5, who did our kaiden ceremony together. They were all Chinese students of Shimizu sensei, who unfortunately passed away in December. It was nice to be able to say hello to his wife after the ceremony. I know her from long ago. The Chinese students did not dress according to the rules and had only white kimono on. They looked less hot than me, so I was very jealous. We all played one of the 3 san kyorei pieces each facing the Kyochiku Zenji statue. I played Mukaiji. That was fine. I could feel the big difference between the others who had played 8-10 years and me. They were nervous. It really meant something for them. I had less at stake.

Waiting for the jyūshoku or the head monk of Myōan-ji Temple to finish his ceremonial doings.

Chanting Hannya Shingyō – heart sutra

Playing Choshi together!

Playing Choshi together. Everyone could take part in that.
After the ceremony, there were of House photo sessions.

The 5 new kaiden people in the back. The head of Doshukai left, head monk of Myōan-ji, kansu.

With the 2, who are also students of Sakai Seian Genshin, who came to support me: Left Sangen Salo from Finland and Jared Stanford from New Zealand.

Sakai Seian Genshin and myself in front of the gate of Myōan-ji Temple in Kyoto.

In front of the so-called Suiten stone at Myōan-ji. With friends and family. From left:
Fru Miyatani French, Inoue Sayuri, my uncle Mizuno Tadatoshi, me, Sakai Seian Genshin,

After the ceremony we went to an izakaya to have a meal. Shimura Zenpo and Kurahashi Yodo II joined us. They were not allowed to come to the ceremony because of secrecy. I was very happy my uncle came. Many friends came and that made my day!

I met up with some wonderful shakuhachi people the day after the Carnegie Hal gig. It was very interesting that feel I had focused so much on the performances of Genshin Concert, that I could hardly play honkyoku at all. Honkyoku, the traditional music of shakuhachi has always been the most improtant part of my musical work. And yet.. I almost felt blank the day after. I am back and into playing honkyoku again and loving it.
Now the next project is a collaboration with Greenlandish composer and flute player Arnannguaq Gerstrøm. She will compose a piece for solo shakuhachi. I can’t wait. And maybe I can get Jesper Holmen to compose as well.

After the concerts in Royal Festival Hall and Carnegie Hall, I went to Virginia Beach and Denver to meet Aunt Susan and Aunt Lois – my father’s younger sisters. My sister Andrea came as well. And on top of that a second cousin once removed Arthur and his wife Edie drove to Virginia Beach from Washington DC. I learned so much about my family background. Every time I learn something new, it feels like I – as a person – become more full. I am grateful to the people who took time to be together and talk. So blessed.

It was an amazing experience of course to play in the legendary Carnegie Hall. How many great musicians have not played there? I am again grateful to AWR Music Productions and my friend from Mills College, Eric Roth, who was the conductor. The koto soloist was Yoko Reikano. It was just as important an experience to feel that once on stage and playing it is business as usual. But of course it was great! And I will keep this experience in my heart.

On the 11th of January 2024, I had the privilege of performing as a soloist together with Masako Townsend on koto and with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Arnie Roth. The audience surely love the game Genshin Impact and the music. So it was such a pleasure. I rehearsed with Masako and we had a really good time together as well. Thank you to AWR Music for the opportunity!