"There’s always some thread that ties all these things together," he said. The shamisen, with its three strings and relatively thin neck, involves fretless playing and motion across the strings ...

The three-stringed shamisen produces one of the distinctive sounds of Japan. It's the soundtrack to kabuki performances and traditional dance shows. But the centuries-old instrument is facing an ...

From selecting the finest materials to the careful construction of its body, neck, and strings, witness the skill and dedication that goes into creating each Shamisen. Explore how expert craftsmen ...