The shamisen is a three-stringed Japanese lute, while the biwa is a Japanese short-necked fretted lute, often used in narrative storytelling.
A geiko or “woman of art” is an entertainer in Japan who has trained in a variety of arts including dance, music, and painting. You may also hear a geiko referred to as a “geisha,” or “artist,” especially outside of Kyoto. These talented women are perhaps some of the most mis...
,” yokai as a word is slowly making its way into the English language. People are becoming aware of Japan’s legacy of magic and mystery. But, “yokai” is entering English with a meaning almost-but-not-quite the same as the Japanese meaning...
*3 Shamisen: a Japanese stringed instrument with three strings and cat’s or dog’s skin covering the instrument’s sound box. Lastly, before you visit this magnificent festival, you should bear in mind that the average temperature of the Chichibu area in December is about 3.8 degrees Celsius...
A shamisen is a Japanese stringed instrument that has been played since at least the 17th century. Each shamisen consists of two...