Tsugaru-Shamisen
Name: Tsugaru-Shamisen
Class: Chordophone
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Origin: Japan
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Description: The Shamisen originates from China. It has three strings and is three feet in length with a body and neck. The musicians of Japan began developing their own way of playing it, using a bachi (a large pick). It was primarily used as a background instrument for folk singers in the 18th and 19th Centuries, but as it’s popularity grew, it became an important instrument in Japanese Classical Music and appreciated as a solo instrument in the 20th Century.
Tsugaru refers to the Tsugaru district in the Aomori Prefecture (the northern tip of mainland Japan).
The Tsugaru-Shamisen, known for it’s ‘bluesy’ and powerful sound, has been said to be like a howling of one’s soul: a natural expression of the strength people acquired in learning to survive in the harsh climate of the Tsugaru region
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Information source: Domo Records
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