When studying shamisen, it's helpful to know some kanji related to the instrument and the music. I'll add to this list periodically.
Shamisen Parts
| TERM | KANJI | DEFINITION |
Azuma sawari
|
東サワリ
|
device that adjusts buzzing effect
|
Bachi
|
撥
|
plectrum
|
Bachigawa
|
撥皮
|
skin guard - attached to front skin
|
Bekko
|
鼈甲
|
tortiseshell
|
Chuuzao
|
中棹
|
middle size shamisen, preferred for jiuta style
|
Dou
|
胴
|
body of shamisen
|
Dougomu
|
胴ゴム
|
rubberized piece placed over doukake to help hold shamisen in place while playing
|
Doukake
|
胴掛け
|
body cover
|
Futozao
|
太棹
|
large size shamisen, preferred for tsugaru style
|
Hizagomu
|
膝ゴム
|
rubberized piece placed over leg to help hold shamisen in place while playing
|
Hosozao
|
太棹
|
smallest size shamisen, preferred for nagauta style
|
Ito
|
糸
|
string
|
Itomaki
|
糸巻き
|
pegs
|
Kamigoma
|
上駒
|
strip of metal at the top of the neck
|
Karin
|
花梨
|
quince wood (wood for lowest grade shamisen and all dou)
|
Koma
|
駒
|
bridge
|
Kouki
|
紅木
|
wood for highest grade shamisen
|
Mitsuori
|
三つ折
|
shamisen neck style that can be broken down into three pieces for transport or storage
|
Neo
|
音緒
|
string holder at the bottom of the shamisen
|
Nobezao
|
延べ竿
|
shamisen neck style made of one continuous piece of wood
|
Shamisen
|
三味線
|
three-stringed Japanese instrument
|
Shitan
|
紫檀
|
red sandalwood (wood for middle grade shamisen)
|
Sao
|
棹
|
neck
|
Saofuki
|
棹ふき
|
cleaning cloth for shamisen
|
Sawari
|
サワリ
|
desirable buzzing sound made by the 1st string of the shamisen
|
Sawari yama
|
サワリ山
|
bump at the top of the neck of less expensive shamisen that helps make buzzing sound
|
Tenjin
|
天神
|
curved piece at the top of the shamisen
|
Tenjin kyappu
|
天神キャップ
|
cap that protects tenjin
|
Yubikake/ yubisuri
|
指掛け/
指すり |
finger cover
|
Zagane
|
座金
|
metal fittings for peg holes
|
Zoge
|
象牙
|
ivory
|
Musical Terms
| TERM | KANJI | DEFINITION |
Atouta
|
後唄
|
Ending section of a piece, usually after tegoto
|
Dan
|
弾
|
Sections of some pieces, identified as 1st dan (1弾), 2nd dan (2弾), and so on. These usually do not have tegoto.
|
Hauta
|
端歌
|
"Marginal" song, predominantly refers to songs that are not tegotomono and were usually popular-type or light-hearted music
|
Jiuta
|
地唄
|
Style of classical shamisen playing, often accompanied by shakuhachi and koto
|
Maeuta
|
前唄
|
First section of a piece, usually in advance of tegoto
|
Sakumono
|
作もの
|
Comical song
|
Sankyoku
|
三曲
|
Refers to musical pieces written for shakuhachi, shamisen, & koto (originally kokyū) to play together
|
Tegoto
|
手事
|
Long instrumental interlude
|
Tegotomono
|
手事もの
|
A style of music characterized by the presence of a long instrumental interlude
|
Uchi
|
打ち
|
lit. "to hit", striking the string on the sao with the tip of the finger without the use of the bachi, written in notation as ウ
|
Important People
| TERM | KANJI | DEFINITION |
Kikuoka-kengyo
|
菊岡 検校
|
Predominant composer (mostly shamisen) of tegotomono in late 18th - mid 19th century. Worked largely with Yaezaki-kengyo. Click here for full bio on Komuso.
|
Matsūra- Kengyo
|
松浦 検校
|
Shamisen composer of late 18th - early 19th century. Click here for full bio on Komuso.
|
Miyagi Michio
|
宮城 道雄
|
Prominent composer of jiuta music in the 19th century. Click for full bio on Komuso.
|
Yaezaki-kengyo
| 八重崎 検校 |
Predominant composer (mostly koto) of tegotomono in late 18th - mid 19th century. Worked largely with Kikuoka-kengyo. Click here for full bio on Komuso.
|
