Shakuhachi 101, Embouchure

The very first thing to learn about the shakuhachi is embouchure. I believe this because if you can’t even make a bad sound you get discouraged pretty fast.
The general method of making sounds with the shakuhachi is sorta like making sounds with a beer bottle. With a shakuhachi and a beer bottle you’re blowing a stream of air across the far edge of the opening. Many beginners get light headed from blowing the shakuhachi. This tends to happen because the embouchure is too big and inefficient. It takes a lot less air to play than you’d think at first.
Your embouchure should be somewhat like a smile but obviously without completely closing your lips.  The edge you’re blowing across is called the Uta-guchi and the opening in your smile should typically be a little smaller than the cut curved edge.
Also the horizontal slit in your smile should be small vertically, you’re trying to be precise about the air your blowing. If you’re not quite getting it, try watching how you look like in a mirror as you play,
One last tip, most new players, play flat, sometimes to the point that they think the flute is out of tune. Most times it’s not the flute, really! Keep trying to push the tone up or even get a cheap electronic tuner to see where your at.