History of the Traditional Japanese Bamboo Flute, Shakuhachi

It is said that Kodai-Shakuhachi(古代尺八=ancient shakuhachi)came to Japan from China around the 8th century. It had six finger holes and a wider pitch range. Kodai-Shakuhachi was accepted and played for a while, but it went out of favor and disappeared after a few hundred years. Then a new style Shakuhachi which had only one bamboo node was born. It became popular in Japan and established for a long time, but also died out.

The bamboo flute had been remodeled over time and eventually developed into Fuke-Shakuhachi(普化尺八), the origin of the traditional Japanese Shakuhachi in the 16th century. 

The Traditional Japanese Bamboo Flute Fuke Shakuhachi

The modern Shakuhachi still keeps the shape of the Fuke-Shakuhachi.
Five finger holes and seven nodes