Kanji Glossary

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
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
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
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
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
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
TERMKANJIDEFINITION
Atouta
後唄
Ending section of a piece, usually after tegoto
Dan
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
TERMKANJIDEFINITION
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.
Updated 1/18/2019