[Activity] Shinobue Making & Performance
120 min
Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture (on-site sessions across the Kantō region are also available by arrangement)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday (by consultation)
3–10 person
● Experience a live performance by a professional
You will enjoy a private performance demonstration by a shinobue musician, presented right before your eyes. It is a special moment to entrust yourself to the depth and beauty of Japanese traditional music.
● Create your own flute
Using pre-prepared bamboo, you will complete the final finishing process with your own hands. As if breathing life into a single instrument, a one-of-a-kind shinobue is brought into being.
● The joy of expressing yourself through sound
While learning the basics of traditional melodies, you will experience producing sound yourself. By attuning your heart to the tone, you can fully savour the joy of expressing your own feelings through music.
You will enjoy a private performance demonstration by a shinobue musician, presented right before your eyes. It is a special moment to entrust yourself to the depth and beauty of Japanese traditional music.
● Create your own flute
Using pre-prepared bamboo, you will complete the final finishing process with your own hands. As if breathing life into a single instrument, a one-of-a-kind shinobue is brought into being.
● The joy of expressing yourself through sound
While learning the basics of traditional melodies, you will experience producing sound yourself. By attuning your heart to the tone, you can fully savour the joy of expressing your own feelings through music.
● For those who wish to experience Japanese traditional music
The shinobue is a transverse bamboo flute that has long been played in festivals and traditional performing arts, symbolising Japanese culture. Through its simple yet beautiful tone, you can sense Japan’s unique spirituality and aesthetic sensibility.
● For those who wish to create and play with their own hands
You will experience the process from working the bamboo to the moment you produce sound for the first time. The joy of hearing music emerge from a flute you have made yourself is truly special.
● For those who wish to take home a special memory
The completed flute becomes a one-of-a-kind memento of your journey. By breathing sound into it yourself, it becomes a treasured object that connects you deeply with Japanese culture.
The shinobue is a transverse bamboo flute that has long been played in festivals and traditional performing arts, symbolising Japanese culture. Through its simple yet beautiful tone, you can sense Japan’s unique spirituality and aesthetic sensibility.
● For those who wish to create and play with their own hands
You will experience the process from working the bamboo to the moment you produce sound for the first time. The joy of hearing music emerge from a flute you have made yourself is truly special.
● For those who wish to take home a special memory
The completed flute becomes a one-of-a-kind memento of your journey. By breathing sound into it yourself, it becomes a treasured object that connects you deeply with Japanese culture.
What’s Included:
Final finishing work on a shinobue flute (using bamboo pre-prepared by the instructor)
Live performance demonstration by a professional shinobue musician
A lesson in basic melodies and hands-on playing experience
Take-home of the completed shinobue flute
Highlights of the Experience:
Personally experience the warmth of sound created through bamboo and breath
Appreciate live performances of traditional music and learn the depth of its resonance
Take home a one-of-a-kind shinobue made by your own hands
Notes:
All tools and materials are provided; nothing needs to be brought
Comfortable clothing is recommended (no special dress requirements)
Careful guidance is provided, making the experience suitable even for first-time participants
Basic support is available in English; a professional interpreter can be arranged with advance reservation (additional fee applies)
Final finishing work on a shinobue flute (using bamboo pre-prepared by the instructor)
Live performance demonstration by a professional shinobue musician
A lesson in basic melodies and hands-on playing experience
Take-home of the completed shinobue flute
Highlights of the Experience:
Personally experience the warmth of sound created through bamboo and breath
Appreciate live performances of traditional music and learn the depth of its resonance
Take home a one-of-a-kind shinobue made by your own hands
Notes:
All tools and materials are provided; nothing needs to be brought
Comfortable clothing is recommended (no special dress requirements)
Careful guidance is provided, making the experience suitable even for first-time participants
Basic support is available in English; a professional interpreter can be arranged with advance reservation (additional fee applies)
Shinobue Workshop Kumpū
Master flute maker: Kaoru Shimura
Graduated from the Oil Painting Department of Tama Art University.
Around 30 years ago, he became fascinated with the world of the shinobue after casually crafting a transverse flute for himself while at work. After continuing to play through self-study, he encountered classical-style shinobue and traditional festival music, deepening his pursuit of the instrument’s profound qualities.
Belonging to a festival music group in the Tsukui area of Sagamihara City, he began making practice flutes for children, which marked the true beginning of his path as a flute maker. In 2016, he established Shinobue Workshop Kumpū, where he produces handcrafted shinobue through an integrated process, from selecting bamboo materials to shaping the sound itself.
Today, alongside crafting and selling shinobue, he also performs and teaches, continuing to share the appeal of the instrument with everyone from beginners to experienced players.
Izumi Hirose
Flutist & Shinobue Player / Artist
Born in Isahaya City, Nagasaki Prefecture. Centering on the flute and shinobue, she performs on stages in Japan and abroad with a wide range of expressive styles. She has appeared at international events such as the PARIS FASHION WEEK GALA, ABAC TOKYO GALA, and the Geneva Association Dinner, where her distinctive artistic vision has received high acclaim.
She is also deeply committed to Japanese traditional culture and performing arts, engaging in activities that reinterpret Japanese aesthetics in a contemporary way—such as performing shinobue for kagura, creating kimono-remake costumes, crafting her own shinobue, and composing original music. In 2025, she is scheduled to appear in kagura shinobue performances at the Kanze Noh Theatre, in Shochiku film productions, and as an artist at overseas summits.
In addition, she participates in United Nations–related projects together with Music for SDGs, continuing initiatives that address social issues through art and music. Alongside her daughter, Lilia, she is also involved in picture book and music creation as well as charitable activities, pursuing her mission of “delivering inspiration to everyone.”
Master flute maker: Kaoru Shimura
Graduated from the Oil Painting Department of Tama Art University.
Around 30 years ago, he became fascinated with the world of the shinobue after casually crafting a transverse flute for himself while at work. After continuing to play through self-study, he encountered classical-style shinobue and traditional festival music, deepening his pursuit of the instrument’s profound qualities.
Belonging to a festival music group in the Tsukui area of Sagamihara City, he began making practice flutes for children, which marked the true beginning of his path as a flute maker. In 2016, he established Shinobue Workshop Kumpū, where he produces handcrafted shinobue through an integrated process, from selecting bamboo materials to shaping the sound itself.
Today, alongside crafting and selling shinobue, he also performs and teaches, continuing to share the appeal of the instrument with everyone from beginners to experienced players.
Izumi Hirose
Flutist & Shinobue Player / Artist
Born in Isahaya City, Nagasaki Prefecture. Centering on the flute and shinobue, she performs on stages in Japan and abroad with a wide range of expressive styles. She has appeared at international events such as the PARIS FASHION WEEK GALA, ABAC TOKYO GALA, and the Geneva Association Dinner, where her distinctive artistic vision has received high acclaim.
She is also deeply committed to Japanese traditional culture and performing arts, engaging in activities that reinterpret Japanese aesthetics in a contemporary way—such as performing shinobue for kagura, creating kimono-remake costumes, crafting her own shinobue, and composing original music. In 2025, she is scheduled to appear in kagura shinobue performances at the Kanze Noh Theatre, in Shochiku film productions, and as an artist at overseas summits.
In addition, she participates in United Nations–related projects together with Music for SDGs, continuing initiatives that address social issues through art and music. Alongside her daughter, Lilia, she is also involved in picture book and music creation as well as charitable activities, pursuing her mission of “delivering inspiration to everyone.”