Shamisen of Japan
The definitive guide to Tsugaru Shamisen

Shamisen of Japan teaches you how to professionally play and make the Tsugaru Shamisen, simply and enjoyably! Shamisen of Japan is a valuable resource for both the beginner and the shamisen enthusiast!

It’s really two books in one:

Step-by-step Construction Manual

• Each step in the construction of the shamisen is carefully documented
• Hundreds of pictures along the way
• Traceable shamisen templates

Complete Guide for Playing

• Pictures and descriptions of essential tsugaru shamisen techniques
• Notation for 16 folk songs (Minyo) and tsugaru pieces

Book Highlights

Simply written! Yes! What a novel concept! But really, who likes thick, tedious instruction manuals? Shamisen is written simply (mainly because the author’s vocabulary ain’t that large) in order to directly give you all the knowledge you need to build and/or play tsugaru shamisen. Nothing less, nothing more… than you need.

Hundreds of pictures! Almost all instructions in the book are accompanied by an easy-to-see picture! Making the book a useful workshop/classroom material, acceptable coffee table book, and/or bathroom reader, Shamisen of Japan is a fiesta o’ pictures which will keep you inspired and interested when the novelty of the English letters wears off.

Professional techniques! Learn invaluable shamisen technique used by famous artists like the Yoshida Brothers, Masahiro Nitta, Agatsuma Hiromitsu, Asano Sho and Shinichi Kinoshita!

Sarcasm! That’s right, smartypants comments and sarcastic quips are scattered throughout Shamisen of Japan! Learn tsugaru shamisen while experiencing what it’s like inside the rat’s nest that is called the author’s brain.

Notation! Learn up to sixteen well known minyo (folk song) and tsugaru pieces!

But don’t take my word for it…

Look inside the book and see for yourself!