n a Japanese stringed instrument resembling a banjo with a long neck and three strings and a fretted fingerboard and a rectangular soundbox; played with a plectrum
The Beat of Bon Odori Tyler Moriguchi waves a cloth scarf as he leads participants in a new dance this year, the Seattle Shamisen Slide, at the Japanese festival Bon Odori Saturday, July 20, 2013 at the Seattle Buddhist Church.
July 22, 2013 - Seattle Times
Liza Dalby in USA Today The idea was that the cold helped focus your mind,Dalby says. "The shamisen strings are not particularly sharp, but because there are no frets, one needs to press down with the tip of the finger at the fingernail to make the note."
Kenichi Yoshida in Boston Globe (registration) I would like the audience to enjoy the atmosphere of the live show,Kenichi says. "I want to show how the shamisen expresses a wide range of music with only three strings. Our music is so dynamic."