Beautiful shamisen with a medium-sized neck (chuuzao), typically used for Minyou playing style. Thanks to the adjustable azuma sawari, this shamisen can have its delightful buzz no matter how high or low you tune your instrument. The wood has an especially beautiful grain and the black synthetic skins give it an extra modern look.

The instrument is made from luscious tochi karin wood with a delicious sparkle. The instrument comes with an yellow neo and a contrasting blue doukake, with an unusual leaf pattern. Also included in the package are an attached dougomu, a fujaku strip, and a set of fresh strings. The dou is freshly reskinned with the newest generation of synthetic skins “Hibiki” that provides a strong yet warm sound. There’s a bump from attaching the skin on the back side (see photos), but it’s just an optical irregularity that does not affect sound or quality.

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.

This neck is 27mm wide and 30 mm high at the top and widens slightly towards the dou. It has a sharp hatomune – the part where the neck enters the sound box – which allows you to play up to position 20 and slightly beyond.

The ebio (the curved end of the tenjin) is in perfect condition. 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 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.

The itomaki (tuning pegs) are made from ebony wood and have a very balanced size that makes tuning comfortable and easy.

All you need to add to your set to start playing are a koma, a bachi and a yubisuri. These are not included in the package because depending on the style you intend to play, 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.