The musician is tuning his Hosozao-shamisen.
Performer: Gosiro Kineya

This is a Shoga of "Echigo Jishi" for Nagauta-Shamisen (Hosozao).
Kuchi-jamisen is a method which allows study of the melody
and rendition of the music without using the score.
The sound of Kuchi-jamisen includes the sound and movement
of the fingers during the performance.

Nagauta evolved as an accompanying music for Kabuki from its early days,
and officially started to be called as Nagauta from early part of 18th century.
This form of music played a central role in Edo music, and evolved into
many variations combined together with story telling or with other musical elements.
Nagauta also serves as a BGM to Kabuki, known as Geza-music.
Performer: Minosuke Nishikawa

This Jiuta is a musical piece which was performed by a sight-disabled musician
during the Edo period. It is a story-telling piece utilizing Shamisen.
The shamisen used for this piece is a chuzao type shamisen.
The plectrum is thick and the tortoiseshell is often placed to its top edge.
Compared to Nagauta-shamisen, which produces a very sharp sound,
this Shamisen creates a soft touched mellow sound.
The characteristic of Jiuta-shamisen is in its sweet and calming tone quality,
and its slow tempo music.
Performer: Tetsuko Kudo

"Ro-byoushi" ("Rhythm of the Oar") from "Matsushima" composed by Kishizawa Shikiza VI.
Written in 1884, this piece takes its inspiration from Matsushima (Miyagi pref.),
one of the 3 great Island views of Japan. The beautiful seasonal changes of this area,
added with the sentimentalism of the tourist is sharply depicted in this piece. In this part,
"Ro-byoushi" which appears in the latter half of the song, the scene of a ship
sailing into the ocean is dynamically expressed. Performer: Mojibee Tokiwazu

This is a Ukiyoe print from Edo, depicting a scene form Kabuki performance,
where the left Tokiwazu-bushi and the right Kiyomoto-bushi are performing in a duet style.
Shikiza Kishizawa composed many famous pieces during this period.

As the word "Futozao-shamisen" implies, (meaning fat/thick shamisen) the body, string board, and the strings are quite fat in this instrument. This deep tone which is created by hitting the strings using a hevy spatula-shaped plectrum is characteristic of this type of Shamisen. This specific part is from a piece performed for one of the climax scenes in Joruri. It expresses the sad emotion of the character, backed up by the energetic sounds of a shamisen.
Performer: Matuya Nozawa

Tsugaru-shamisen has been used as an accompaniment instrument for the
traditional folk songs of Tsugaru region of Aomori prefecture.
In present-day Japan, Futozao-shamisen is in general use. Note that this Futozao-shamisen is a different
type of instrument from Gidayu-shamisen.
The Bachigawa (the skin area of the instrument where the pick contacts.) and the performance style is totally
differernt.
This "Tsugaru Jonkara Bushi"(also called as Jongara) is a traditional folk song of
Tsugaru region of Aomori prefecture.
This is a representative tune made for Tsugaru-shamisen.
Performer: Michihiro Sato

Sanshin is an instrument used in Okinawa, Amami region. It's size is slightly smaller than Shamisen,
and is known as the original form for Shamisen. Since the body of this instrument uses a snake skin,
some people call this instrument as Jabisen (Snake-shamisen), but it is never called as this in Okinawa region.
A special pick made from the horn of a buffalo is placed on an index finger to play this instrument.
In Amami region, a bamboo pick is used instead of the buffalo horn.

Since the scripts of this song are for celebration purposes, this song is often used for
opening a certain celebration event. This is a very famous and a popular dance in Okinawa and Amami region,
where the Okina (oldman) and Ouna (old-woman) appears in its play.
There is another famous piece known as "Kacha-shi", which is just as well known as Kagiyade-fu.
Kacha-shi is a traditional folk dance from Okinawa region, and is performed in an improvisation manner
at festivals and party gatherings. In this dance, Sanshin is used, utilizing a method called "soubichi".
In this method, pick is not used to produce the sound. A short main melody line is repeatedly played,
together with various cheers and finger whistles to add to the liveliness of the music.
Performer: Fusae Kawada

The interval of the sound is set by the position of the bridges (Koto-ji) which stand for each string.
The performer uses the nail-picks (Tsume) which are placed on his/her thumb, index finger and the middle finger
to play this instrument. The picks will differ in its shape depending on which school (Yamada, Ikuta)
the performer belongs.
In Yamada School, the performer places the picks (Tsume) straight to the Koto,
therefore, sits directly facing the Koto. However, in Ikuta School, since the performer places the picks(Tsume)
in an angle, the sitting position will also be slightly angled. The strings are called from far side of the body,
as one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, To, I, Kin.
Hira-chosi is known as the most general tuning style.

The most basic style of playing the Koto is to pluck the strings closest to the performer, to his/her most farthest string.
Next most commonly used style is to pluck from the farthest string towards the closest string by using the index finger
and the middle finger. (In both styles, a finger pick is utilized) The left hand can push the string (known as Oshite) to create
a higher note than already tuned tone. Various left hand motions such as "Hiki-iro", "Tuki-iro" can create various fluctuations
to the tone and the quality of its sound. The right hand can also utilize various performance methods
such as "Waridume","Nagashi-tume","Waren","Ura-ren" to add variety to the sounds of Koto.
Performer: Chie Sakrai

"Rokudan no sirabe" ("A Work in Six Section") composed by Kengyo Yatsuhashi.
This piece evolved from Jiin-gagaku (Gagaku for Temple) during the middle ages.
In the early Edo period, a sight disabled musician by the name of Kengyo Yatsuhashi-1614-85 ;
received the highest government honorary position for the sight disabled person.
He contributed in revising the Koto performance into artistic musical performance,
which gave much influence to current koto music style.

"Haru no Umi"("The Spring Sea") composed by Michio Miyagi.
Currently, the two major style schools can be classified
into Ikuta school and Yamada school. Michio Miyagi of Ikuta school (1894-1956) composed a duet,
"Haru no Umi"(The spring sea) which integrated elements of European music into a Koto piece,
utilizing Koto and Shakuhachi.
Performer: Chie Sakurai (Koto), Hidekazu Kato (Shakuhachi)

"Seoto" composed by Michio Miyagi. In recent years, multi-stringed Koto has been developed
in order to formulate new form of Koto music. In 1921, Michio Miyagi developed a 17 stringed Koto
in his pursuit for lower pitch notes by Koto. From around 1955, various multi stringed Koto,
including low key, middle key variations were formulated, which birthed 20, and 30 stringed Koto.
Performer: Chie Sakurai (Koto: 13 stringed traditional type), Keiko Hisamoto (17 stringed Koto)

In Satsuma Biwa, the performer sits and holds the Biwa in upright position.
The left fingers hold the Ju (neck), and the right hand will hold the plectrum,
which is quite large and wide in its shape.
This instrument is performed with much energy and vigor. In Biwa used for gagaku,
or Heike Biwa (used for Tale of Heike) the instrument is lied flat on its side
and played with a plectrum which is long in its length.

Many Biwa pieces are basically story-pieces consisting of seven-and-five-syllable meter.
"Kuzure" (The fall) is a most dramatic part of a certain piece, usually telling a battle sene.
In such a scene, Biwa is performed in a fast pitched/tempo style, giving excitement to its scene.

This instrument is shaped like a small sized shamisen. The bow is 110cm long,
and the body of the instrument is about 70 cm in its width. Depending on the type of Kokyu used,
some are 3 stringed Kokyu, whereas some are 4 stringed Kokyu.
The material used for the bow is karin (Chinese quince), shitan (red sandalwood) susudake (bamboo).
For the hair part of the bow, (also known as Su) horsetail hair is gathered, and bundled together.
The body part of this instrument often uses beniboku, and Karin. It also uses leather skin
to create a sympathetic resonance. How to play: Left finger is used to push the string,
which determines a specific note. The bow is held by the right hand, and the hair of the bow
is pulled to the adequate strength for its use. The hair part of the bow is scrubbed
against the string of Kokyu to produce its sound. The Okinawa Kokyu uses snakeskin
for the round part of this instrument.

"Kurokami no Aikata" performed by Kokyu "Aikata" means "the part without a song" or a short interlude.
There is no established theory regarding where Kokyu originated. Currently, it is used in
Jiuta-sokyoku, Kabuki, Ningyo-joururi, folk arts and in contemporary music.
Performer: Kaori Tatara