#Shamisen windows

Along with his employee Masaaki Yamaguchi, Katoh created the Mugen 21, a shamisen with a built-in microphone, which opened a new range of possibilities for the instrument. In such groups, the sound of the shamisen would always be drowned out. Kunimoto wrote music and performed in ensembles with western instruments. Indeed, it has been Katoh’s life work to broaden the fan base for shamisen music.Īn important turning point in his career – and in the history of the shamisen – was when Kunimoto Takeharu, a shamisen player who also did many types of experimental performances, approached him about the possibility of creating an electric shamisen.

#Shamisen windows

Opening the windows of his shop, pedestrians can stop to watch the show that consists of shamisen collaborating with various instruments. Twenty three years ago, Katoh began his own shop and began the Chitoshan-tei tradition. Yet watching Katoh emcee his annual Chitoshan-tei, a small live show in Tokyo’s downtown district of Machiya, it is easy to see how he is Japan’s premier promoter of shamisen culture.Īt the age of 15, Kaneharu Katoh went to learn to make shamisen from a master. Because an artisan works long hours for years mostly in solitude, developing conversation skills is not a natural process. The one thing that distinguishes Kaneharu Katoh from other masters of traditional crafts is his gift of gab. Shamisen Katoh: Plucking at the Heartstrings of Japan The music of a duo called the Yoshida Brothers has gained worldwide recognition as their “rock shamisen” songs are used in popular video games. This style is sometimes compared to the American bluegrass banjo. In recent years, a new style of playing based on the traditional folk songs of the northern Aomori region, but with improvisation and fast-paced fingerwork, known as “tsugaru jamisen” has grown in popularity. The shamisen can be played solo, with other instruments or accompany singing. However in rural regions, it is still played casually when singing local folk songs, similar to the sanshin. Secondly, the craftsmanship is exquisite, using red sander wood imported from India. One is that of a refined instrument used in Japanese classical performances like kabuki (Japanese traditional theater) and bunraku (Japanese traditional puppet theatre). It is a simple instrument made of wood with a snakeskin or artificial body. Therefore, it is common to find many young people who can play the sanshin on a casual level. In Okinawan culture, their minyo (folk music) is a part of everyday life. Though the shamisen was adapted from the sanshin, their roles in contemporary society greatly vary. It is said that the shamisen was developed in the mainland of Japan in the 16th century based on the Okinawan sanshin. The shamisen is a plucked instrument with three strings, similar to a guitar or a banjo with a neck and strings stretched across a resonating body.