Preston Keido Houser came to Kyoto in 1981 to pursue his interests in Zen Buddhism and traditional Japanese music, specifically the zen repertoire for the shakuhachi bamboo flute as played by the "komuso" monks of the Fuke-shu sect. He earned his "shihan," master’s license, took the name Keido, and performs frequently in Japan. In addition to Asia studies, Preston holds a Ph.D. in English literature (Shakespeare Studies) from the University of Pennsylvania (IUP).