Tsugaru Jamisen
津軽三味線
“There is nothing like the intensely powerful sound that comes from a live Tsugaru Jamisen performance.”
- Duffy Oakley
Embedded Files
Tsugaru Jamisen
@All Photos by Duffy Oakley
Historical Background
Historical Background
The three-string shamisen was introduced to Japan during the sixteenth century by way of the Ryukyu Kingdom (Okinawa) and its snakeskin sanshin, which was based on the Chinese sanxian lute. Over time, it developed into the shamisen that we know today as it made its way up through Kyushu and Honshu. Of the more than twenty types of shamisen in existence today, the Tsugaru jamisen is the most recently created. It was developed by blind street performers in the late nineteenth century in the Tsugaru Peninsula region of Aomori Prefecture and played in a distinctively loud, energetic, “hard-rocking” style meant to attract passersby.
Characteristics
Characteristics
Like all shamisen, the Tsugaru jamisen has three strings with no frets and is played with a bachi (plectrum or pick). While most shamisen are traditionally made using cat skin, the body of the Tsugaru jamisen uses dog skin. The Tsugaru jamisen’s neck and strings are thicker than most other types of shamisen, which allows it to be played in a more aggressive manner and produces a louder sound. Its energetic, fast-paced, somewhat mournful-sounding songs have been traditionally passed down without sheet music, incorporating new improvisations and playing styles over the years. Its music has been compared with popular Western music styles like rock and bluegrass music.
To know more
To know more
A performance and TED Talk about Tsugaru jamisen in Japanese with English subtitles.
Tsugaru jamisen and American banjo duet (instrumental song)
Go Visit the Tsugaru Jamisen Hall!
From April 1 to November 30, you can visit the Tsugaru Jamisen Hall and watch a regularly scheduled performance by a skilled shamisen performer from Tsugaru peninsula who will play traditional folk songs. In the exhibition hall, you can learn about the history of Tsugaru jamisen, different variations of the shamisen, the parts of the instrument, traditional folk songs and local history. General admission is 600 yen for adults and 400 yen for university and high school students (or you can purchase a 1000 yen adult / 600 yen student combined ticket with the nearby "Shayokan" Osamu Dazai Memorial Hall). If you make a reservation at least seven days in advance, you can even receive a lesson from a professional shamisen player who will teach you how to play the instrument for 5000 yen!
Tsugaru Jamisen Hall performance. Photo by author.
The world's only Tsugaru Jamisen vending machine outside the Tsugaru Jamisen Hall. Photo by author.
You can visit the neighboring "Shayokan" Osamu Dazai Memorial Hall with a joint ticket. Photo by author.
How to Get to Tsugaru Jamisen Hall
189-3 Asahiyama, Kanagi, Goshogawara, Aomori 037-0202
TEL: 0173-54-1616 FAX: 0173-54-1023 MAIL: syamisen@kanagi-gc.net
Take the Ou/Gono Line from Hirosaki Station to Goshogawara Station (45 minutes). Transfer to the Tsugaru Tetsudo Line to Kanagi Station (30 minutes). Walk 500m to the Tsugaru Jamisen Hall (5 minutes).
Direct Voice from Duffy Oakley
Direct Voice from Duffy Oakley
I visited the Tsugaru Jamisen Hall in Kanagi on Culture Day (文化の日) 2024 and was able to see an incredible performance by a professional Tsugaru jamisen player. There is nothing like the intensely powerful sound that comes from a live Tsugaru jamisen performance. You can really feel the power of the shamisen and the masterful way in which the professional artist manipulates it, up close and personal in an intimate setting. I play the banjo myself, which is a similar instrument, but the banjo has frets like a guitar, while the shamisen does not, so I am very impressed by the way that shamisen masters know exactly where to place their fingers during the song even without frets to guide them. It is interesting to me that despite coming from very different places and developing over very different histories, in some ways the lilting, melancholy melodies produced by both the banjo and shamisen are quite similar, although the Tsugaru jamisen in particular is played in such a strong, "rocking" style. I greatly enjoyed it and highly recommend going to see a live Tsugaru jamisen performance!
References
References
"Preserve Tsugaru Shamisen | Niya | TEDxSapporo." 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNbvX4QBNOA (Japanese).
"Shamisen." Kyoto Women's University, Lifestyle Design Laboratory. Google Arts & Culture, n.d. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/YwXRt8QGJH90JA.
"Shamisen no Rekishi." Shamiko, n.d. https://shamiko.jp/shamisen-history/ (Japanese).
"Tsugaru Jamisen Kaikan." NPO Houjin Kanagi Genki Club, n.d. http://www.kanagi-gc.net/syami/index.html (Japanese).
"Tsugaru Shamisen Hall." Amazing AOMORI - The Official Aomori Travel Guide, n.d. https://aomori-tourism.com/en/spot/detail_470.html.
"Tsugaru shamisen, Aomori’s very own 'hard-rocking' folk music with a unique history." Amazing AOMORI - The Official Aomori Travel Guide, n.d. https://aomori-tourism.com/en/feature/detail_117.html.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse