The road is life and is a dilligent and long one….I was in awe of him; he is truly an inspiration. ~ Editor-in-Chief Alcvin Ryuzen Ramos Shakuhachi Artist (Japanese Bamboo Flute Musician and Teacher) Interviewed by Editor-in-Chief Photographed by Noriko Nasu-Tidball Q:   Could you please tell us your cross-cultural backgrounds? What was your upbringing like in Japan (as non-Japanese ethnically speaking)? How did you feel being “gaijin” in Japan? What is your identity now? A: My parents are from the Philippines but I was born in Japan. We lived on a US military base but made frequent visits outside to be with Japanese friends. I was very young so I don’t really remember too much about Japan so I had no conceptual understanding of what a gaijin was. I moved to the US when I was about 6 and went to school there completing university. I returned to Japan after university to study shakuhachi for the first time, which is when I understood more deeply what a gaijin was. Although I have a western mindset, my spirit has always been Asian with a particular affinity to Japan. I moved to Canada in 1997 and have since attained my Canadian citizenship. But I feel that I am more a citizen of the world that is open and loves learning about other cultures and traditions. But there is something in the centre of my spirit that is Japanese. Q:  When made you first realize you wanted to pursue a career in Shakuhachi master? Who were the early influences? A: My major in University was Eastern Comparative Religious Studies and I was originally attracted to the monastic life and/or academic life and was headed that way. But when I first heard the shakuhachi flute, I wanted to go to Japan to study...