Tsugaru Shamisen Set “Kirameki”

I named this shamisen “Kirameki” (煌). The word means “sparkle” or “glitter” and felt very fitting for this instrument. The deep dark koki wood reveals beautiful shimmering grain patterns when light hits the surface, giving the shamisen a very elegant and lively appearance without feeling flashy. This beauty is underlined by an extraordinary doukake (body cover) and a matching tenjin cap. This shamisen is simply Wow!

Especially in motion and natural light, the wood seems to change constantly – small reflections appearing and disappearing across the grain. It’s one of those instruments that quietly draws attention the longer you look at it.

The instrument is in superb condition – treat it well and it will never lose its beauty.

The style of this shamisen is futozao, typically used for Tsugaru playing style. This type of shamisen has a larger body and overall larger features than other shamisen: wider neck, larger tuning pegs – bigger sound! Thanks to the adjustable azuma sawari, this shamisen can have its delightful buzz no matter how high or low you tune your instrument – and you can also switch it off entirely, which comes in very handy for modern arrangements.

Wood:

This instrument’s neck is made from koki wood – the most sought-after wood in contemporary shamisen culture. This traditional super high-end hardwood that is the most desired choice for professional players due to its outstanding beauty, smooth feel and fine sound qualities. The supplies for koki wood are dwindling, so instruments of this kind are more popular than ever.

Accessories:

The instrument comes with an extraordinary black lacquer doukake with beautiful hand painted golden camelias (tsubaki) and a mother-of-pearl inlay, plus a matching tenjin cap. The yellow neo makes it look even more stunning. Also included in the package are a set of fresh strings and a dougomu.

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.

Skins:

The dou is freshly 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:

The neck is 32,25 mm wide and 34,5 mm high at the top and widens slightly towards the dou. The fingerboard is 30 mm wide at the narrow end. As is typical for Tsugaru shamisen, instead of a curved hatomune – the part where the neck enters the sound box – the fingerboard ends in a sharp edge that makes it possible to play up to position 20 and slightly beyond on this instrument. 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 very well crafted which will provide an extra tight fit. They come together with a very satisfying “clack” – if you don’t know what that means: it’s a very good thing and you’re gonna love it!

Itomaki:

The itomaki (tuning pegs) are made from ebony wood and are nice and chunky – this makes tuning for players with large hands a lot easier!

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.

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