Minyo Shamisen Set “Akihito”

An instrument that will outshine others both in beauty and sound: that’s what inspired me to name this shamisen “Akihito” (明仁). The name combines the characters for “bright” or “clear” (明) and “benevolence” or “virtue” (仁). With its elegant appearance, beautiful craftsmanship, and excellent sound qualities, this instrument will never get boring. The wood has a marvelous sparkle and the neck and fingerboard are so smooth that you will have a hard time putting your beautiful shamisen away.

This shamisen has a medium-sized neck (chuuzao), typically used for Minyo playing style, and the neck is slightly shorter (called “tanzao”) – also typical for Minyo shamisen. That means industrially crafted position markers won’t fit. But in playing, you really don’t feel a difference. Thanks to the adjustable azuma sawari, this shamisen can have its delightful buzz no matter how high or low you tune your instrument. Within the range of medium-neck shamisen, this one is on the wider size – so a good pick for people with larger hands!

It’s an especially beautiful instrument with bi-colored tuning pegs (itomaki) that are made from jointed koki and ebony wood.

Wood:

The instrument’s neck is made from shitan wood – a traditional high-end hardwood for shamisen making. It was the #1 wood for shamisen building before koki wood’s deep dark sheen and crazy figurations emerged in the last decades. This means even when you advance as a player, this instrument will still sound great and never sound like “not enough”. In my personal opinion, shitan wood sounds livelier and more multi-faceted than koki. It’s personal preference, what you think is best.

Accessories and Skins:

The instrument comes with a beautiful purple doukake with golden bamboo graphics. The purple neo is a perfect match. Also included in the package are a set of fresh strings, a tenjin cap, and a dougomu.

The dou is skinned with Hibiki – the newest generation of synthetic skins with a warm tone that’s closer to the sound of natural skins than any of its predecessors.

Hibiki skin is extremely durable and robust. In comparison to natural skin, you don’t have to worry about humidity or sudden rain when playing the shamisen outdoors (you’ll still want to try to avoid both to protect the wood though). This means, you won’t need to use a washi bag to protect your shamisen’s skin.

Neck:

This neck is 29,75 mm wide and 29,5 mm high at the top and widens slightly towards the dou. The fingerboard is 28 mm wide at the narrow end. Its hatomune – the part where the neck enters the sound box – ends in a sharp edge that makes it possible to play up to position 20 and slightly beyond on this instrument. The fingerboard is extremely smooth and makes playing this shamisen even more delightful!

Itomaki:

The itomaki (tuning pegs) are made from jointed ebony and koki wood – a subtle and very pretty detail that makes your shamisen stand out even more.

Sawari (buzz):

The installed azuma sawari lets you adjust the sawari (buzz) to your liking. This means you can switch it off completely (for modern pieces, pop/rock/metal genres or certain ensembles) and also have the perfect buzz no matter how high or low you tune your shamisen.

More:

The tsukigata (the curved end of the tenjin) is in perfect condition, and the instrument’s wood has a beautiful deep brown shade and beautiful grain that sparkles mysteriously in the light. The neck is crafted in mitsuori style: It can be separated into three parts. This makes travelling with the shamisen very easy – even if you have to get by with light and small luggage. The joints are crafted in an especially intricate way which makes assembly and disassembly easier and improves the joints’ durability and fit. Another indicator for the high quality of this shamisen.

All you need to add to your set to start playing are a koma, a bachi and a yubisuri. Depending on the style you intend to play and your personal preferences, you want to pick a certain kind of koma and bachi. Yubisuri come in different sizes, and I didn’t want to deprive you of the difficult yet fun choice between all the wonderful colors.

If you need help with picking the right additions to this set, don’t hesitate to send a message and we will find the perfect match for you together.

If you have any further questions, reach out and send me a message and I’ll be happy to help.