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The shakuhachi came to Japan from China in the 12th century AD. Although it has long since disappeared from China, the instrument has rooted itself in over eight centuries of Japanese tradition, today playing a vital role in Japanese culture. A shaku is an old form of Japanese measurement of length. Therefore, shakuhachi is the equivalent of 1.8 shaku or about 55 centimeters, which gives the flute and its five holes the five basic sounds of C, D, F, G, and A, with seven sharps and flats. The basic European scale contains seven basic notes with five sharps and flats. Although the European and Asian scales were developed independently, they are each based on these 12 sounds.