Lute, samisen (detail)

This lute or samisen is played with a plectrum. The hollow frame of wood has cat skin stretched across the back and front of the sound box. The skin is reinforced under the strings so that it is not broken by the blows from the plectrum.

Once the strings have passed over the 'bridge', the kima, they are tied to a thin length of rope. This is tied in complex knots to hold one end of the strings in place.

Samisen were used as an accompaniment to a story teller in puppet theatre, bunraku. The music intensifies the drama of the story. Geisha, have played the samisen at banquets, to accompany singing and dancing.

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