Join Portland Japanese Garden for a free cultural performance of koto (Japanese zither) and shakuhachi (bamboo flute). Koto master Curtis Patterson and Shakuhachi virtuoso Bruce Huebner will perform as the duo Také to Ito (Bamboo and Strings), at the Cathy Rudd Cultural Corner in the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center.

Také to Ito have been forging a fresh path for two of Japan’s most iconic instruments since 2003. Drawing on over 40 years of study, performance, and teaching in Japan, their music flows freely from classical honkyoku and jiuta to compositions by John Coltrane, Ralph Towner, and Edward MacDowell. At times improvisational, their original works and arrangements are always deeply rooted in tradition while speaking vividly to the present moment. The duo recently completed an acclaimed Australian tour and will bring their unique sound to the U.S. West Coast in September and October 2026.