Summer Hocchiku Making Workshop

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Hocchiku Making and Repair Demo

Weekend Workshop

Bamboo-In

September 6-7, 2008

(September 5, Japanese Music Concert w/koto -shamisen master Tomoko Yamaguchi and Alcvin Takegawa Ramos on shakuhachi)

Cost: CAN$450/person (includes breakfast/lunch/dinner for 2 days)

Madake Bamboo blank: CAN$200-$300

Registration:

Please fill out the registration form.

About :

After the bamboo has dried for several months (or years), Bamboo-In organizes a day for making hocchiku shakuhachi in the summer on the stunningly beautiful Sunshine Coast, Madeira Park, BC. This coming September 6 and 7, 2008 we are again honoured to be hosting, renowned master shakuhachi craftsman, Yamaguchi Shugetsu, from Nara, Japan. In addition to guiding you through the whole process of creating your hocchiku, Shugetsu will also give a special demonstration on how to properly repair a crack to your shakuhachi.

Tomoko Yamaguchi

This year Shugestsu will be accompanied by his wife, koto and shamisen master, Tomoko Yamaguchi. Tomoko will offer a concert at the beautiful Seaside Center in Sechelt on the evening of September 5. She will be accompanied on shakuhachi by Alcvin Takegawa Ramos. Concert fee is included in the workshop fee.

Getting to Pender Harbour, Madeira Park, is a real adventure in itself and it's great natural beauty will leave you speechless with awe. After checking into your accomodations, and arrive at the intimate Bamboo-In, you will notice shakuhachi enthusiasts from various parts of the globe either playing their flutes, eating the superb food prepared by the loving hands of the Ramos/Chung Family, or walking among the old growth trees that are are near the house.

Many of the participants have been to Japan on the Shakuhachi Roots Pilgrimage with Alcvin Ramos and have waited patiently for this weekend and have traveled long distances to make flutes from the bamboo they have harvested. So there will be plenty of reminescing going on. There will be pure beginners who have never worked with bamboo and more experienced craftspeople who are always open to helping less experienced ones.

You will experience the great joy of creating your own hocchiku with your own hands, putting you directly in the creation process of your personal, shakuhachi meditation instrument. You will understand and know on a deeper level how perfect and beautiful madake bamboo is for making a flute and be inspired to deepen your releationship with the shakuhachi and its playing like you've never experienced before. You will leave with a great feeling of satisfaction and pleasure from making your own hocchiku, as well as a full belly from all the great food!

The Ramos family is always thrilled to have the weekend of hocchiku making every summer. Enjoying the beautiful sounds of shakuhachi making and playing all day long. Sandra Ramos and her mother, Mary, both incredible cooks will treat us to superb cooking and food presentation with organic foods mostly grown in the garden.

Students will be trained in all aspects of hocchiku making process from bending, bore work, root-end formation, utaguchi formation, tuning, polishing, etc. All tools and mitre boxes will be provided.

Each day starts with breakfast outside in the dry garden under the big tent, followed immediately with bamboo work. We start the day by talking about the process of making then selection of bamboo pieces to work with. We will be spending the two days working and talking together, then after the workshop is over we will play shakuhachi at the Sunshine Zen Temple on Sunday Night during meditation.

Buddha Statues in the Sunshine Zen Temple

Bamboo blanks for making:

For those who don't have their own bamboo and would like to purchase raw Japanese madake bamboo blanks to make a flute with each piece will cost about CAN$200-$300.

Invited Maker from Japan:

Yamaguchi Shugetsu is one of the foremost makers of traditional shakuhachi based in Nara, Japan. He is well-known for his exceptionally high quality jiari and especially for his jinashi shakuhachi flutes.

Born in Fukui-ken, Japan, (and now based in Nara) Yamaguchi has been making shakuhachi for over 25 years. He trained under the reknowned shakuhachi master craftsman, Tamai Chikusen for 7 years before embarking on his own career. Yamaguchi makes all styles of shakuhachi (Tozan, Kinko, Meian) but specializes in extremely responsive and dynamic "Shugetsu" jinashi chokan shakuhachi (2.0-3.6 sizes). These flutes are prime honkyoku/musical instruments. Some of his clients include: Katsuya Yokoyama, Riley Lee, Tadashi Tajima, and Fujiwara Dozan.

Yamaguchi Shugetsu in his workshop in Nara

Accommodations

For only those who are serious meditators, the Sunshine Zen Temple is open for lodging. You must participate in early morning meditation and late night meditation in order to lodge there. (A small donation is appreciated.)

For those who prefer more freedom and luxury, there are camp grounds, hotel, and yurts at the Pender Harbour Resort close by. Please inform me which type of lodging you prefer and I will arrange it for you. View the website:

http://www.penderharbourresort.com/home.cfm

Rates:

Motel: $70/Dbl, Mobile Homes: $90 - $100/Dbl, Cottages $100 - $120, Tent Site $16-$18, RV Site $20 - $25. All rates double occupancy.

Payment Terms/Methods:

Methods of payment: Visa, Mastercard, Cash and Debit Cards.

Cancellation Policy:

Please call us for details on our cancellation policy

Key Information:

Children Welcome
Pets Allowed
No Smoking Permitted

Other Amenities:

Beach Access

Level Beach Waterfront
Laundry Facilities

Also there is Sunshine Coast Resort Hotel and Marina which is a little more pricey but closer.

http://www.sunshinecoast-resort.com/

Please refer to the website for all rates, payment, amenities, and other pertinent information.

Contact info for Bamboo-In:

S9-C3 Madeira Park, BC, Canada, Tel: (604) 883-2023

First day of Workshop

Breakfast at Bamboo-in will start at 8 AM on Saturday, June 16 and the workshop will begin at 9 AM, so please arrange to arrive at Sunrise Ranch by that time. The workshop will end at 5 PM on Sunday please schedule ferries back to Vancouver for the evening on Sunday.

Travel

Bamboo-In is situated on the stunningly beautiful Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, Canada in the picturesque outreaches of Pender Harbour. Bamboo-In is located approximately 40 km from downtown Sechelt, and 2 hours from the Vancouver International airport.

By car:

If you are crossing the border from the United States or are coming from outside the province of BC, just stay on Highway 1 (the TransCanada Highway) to its end at Horseshoe Bay. Follow the signs to the ferry terminal. Just before the terminal the highway branches north (turns right) towards Whistler/Squamish (the Sea to Sky Highway).

At this junction, stay left for the ferry toll booths (left hand lane for the Langdale/Sunshine Coast toll booths).

The ferries leave Horseshoe Bay roughly every two hours starting at 7:20 am, with the last boat at 9:15 pm. (Note: Sometimes in the summer extra sailings and late sailings are added. Check the BC Ferries web site for details.) The ferry ride offers spectacular scenery and takes about 40 minutes. *Remember, you pay only to get on the coast, not off. That's half the price of going to Vancouver Island! So your ticket is actually good for a round trip.

Please contact us @ ramos@dccnet.com for more detailed directions.

Car Rentals:

Budget Car & Truck Rental 1-800-299-3199
Hertz Rent A Car 1-800-263-0600
National Tilden Inter-rent 604-885-9120
Skookum Chrysler 604-886-3493

Bus:

Malaspina Coach Lines offers service from Vancouver to Pender Harbour. Buses leave from the Pacific Central Station bus terminal (on the corner of Terminal and Main in Vancouver). You can also board at the corner of Burrard Street and Georgia Street (right downtown) or at the north end of Lions Gate bridge. Buses drive onto the ferry at the Horseshoe Bay terminal. Call for details:

Tel: 604-885-2217
Toll Free: 1-877-227-8287

Click here for a schedules: http://www.malaspinacoach.com/

LOCAL TRANSIT AND HANDYDART BUS SERVICES:
Sunshine Coast Transit (604) 885-3234 or e-mail "transit@scrd.bc.ca".
Also, (604) 885-6899 for 24-hour bus information access.
Bus Online Web Site for local transit information

Click here for a map: http://www.bigpacific.com/about/images/maps/Pender%20Harbour%201-06.jpg

Contact:

For more information and questions please contact:

Alcvin Ramos

ramos@dccnet.com.

(604) 883-2023

Sample Schedule:

5:30-7:30 am Meditation

8:00 am

Breakfast

9:00 Introduction/start of workshop

12:00 Lunch