PORTLAND — On Tuesday, Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.), Mayo Street Arts will host an evening of traditional Japanese music featuring two distinguished shakuhachi masters: Kurahashi Yodo II of Kyoto, Japan, and Toji Kaido Perlman of Portland. This 75-minute performance, presented without intermission, offers a rare opportunity for audiences to experience the haunting and meditative beauty of the shakuhachi-a Japanese end-blown bamboo flute with a musical lineage spanning over a thousand years.
The shakuhachi’s origins trace back to the 7th century, when it was introduced to Japan from China. Over the centuries, it became more than a musical instrument-it evolved into a tool for Zen Buddhist meditation and spiritual discipline. Wandering monks, samurai, and commoners alike embraced its breath-based practice as a means of deepening awareness and inner calm. In an age defined by constant noise and digital saturation, the sound of the shakuhachi offers something rare and essential: a reminder to pause, to breathe and to listen.
Kurahashi Yodo II and Toji Kaido Perlman will perform honkyoku — traditional solo pieces once played by the komusō or “monks of nothingness” who roamed Japan between the 13th and 18th centuries. These monks wore straw baskets over their heads and played the shakuhachi as a form of spiritual expression and transformation, rather than performance. Each honkyoku piece holds a distinct character and story, shaped by the geography, philosophy and culture of the region it came from. For listeners, these works open a contemplative space, echoing the landscapes and inner worlds that inspired them.
Kurahashi Yodo II was born in Kyoto in 1949 and studied under his father, Kurahashi Yodo I, and renowned shakuhachi teacher Matsumura Homei. Over the course of his distinguished career, he has performed throughout Japan, North America, Europe and Asia. He currently serves as the head of the Mujuan Shakuhachi School in Kyoto and was recently appointed Chairman of the Kyochiku Zenji Commemorate Association of Myoanji Temple, the head temple of the classical shakuhachi tradition. In 2022, he was awarded the Japan Government’s Art Festival Award in recognition of his cultural contributions.
Toji Kaido Perlman, a lifelong resident of Portland, is a Shihan (Master) shakuhachi player and dedicated teacher. He began his studies with Phil Nyokai James before training under Kurahashi Yodo II. Over the past two decades, Toji has developed a deeply rooted and nuanced style that honors tradition while inviting personal interpretation. His recent performances include appearances at Maine Fungi Fest, Sea Dogs Japan Day, and the Wild Graces Haiku Festival in New Hampshire.
Tickets for the performance are $20 in advance, $23 at the door and $30 for preferred seating. The event is open to all ages, and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. A pay-what-you-can option is available through Mayo Street Arts by filling out an online form or contacting the organization directly at 207-879-4629 or [email protected].
This performance promises more than music- it offers a journey through history, breath and sound. Through the artistry of Kurahashi Yodo II and Toji Kaido Perlman, audiences will be invited into a space of stillness, where tradition speaks not only to the past but also to the present moment.Mayo Street Arts is a welcoming community arts center in the heart of Portland’s Kennedy Park neighborhood. The organization’s building serves as a performance venue, gallery, and gathering space, and offers affordable studios and rehearsal space for artists. Mayo Street Arts’ programming embraces variety, with a particular focus on puppetry and folk music and dance.
Mayo Street Arts does not turn anyone away from its events for lack of funds; please contact the organization at 207-879-4629 or [email protected] for information on their pay-what-you-can admission policy. For more information and tickets, visit www.mayostreetarts.org.
