Japan · Musical Instrument Making
三線 (Sanshin)
The sanshin (三線) is Okinawa's three-stringed lute, the ancestor of the mainland shamisen. It descends from the Chinese sanxian and grew up as a court instrument, with official posts for sanshin makers and masters under the kingdom. Later it became everyone's instrument, and it is indispensable to kumiodori, Ryukyu opera, folk song and pop. It is built from a neck (sō), a body (chīga) and tuning pegs (karakui), and the neck's form decides the type. Seven classic types are named after Ryukyu-era master makers: Fēbaru (南風原型), Chinin Dēku (知念大工型), Kuba Shundun (久場春殿型), Makabi (真壁型), Hiranaka Chinin (平仲知念型), Yunagusuku (与那城型) and Kuba-nu-funi (久葉の骨型). By the designation standard, the neck is ebony, isu (Distylium racemosum), Casuarina or equivalent. Its face is carved in a shallow bow falling two to five rin (about 0.6–1.5 mm) toward the center, and the underside of the nut is cut away. The body frame is wood with snakeskin, tightened by wedges. The most important step is butate, fitting the neck into the body, which largely decides the tone. Two supply crises now bear on the craft. Yaeyama kuruchi (ebony) is so depleted that dealers report stocks in the dozens. And python skin is imported under the CITES trade controls on wildlife, which has pushed makers toward reinforced double skins and artificial skins. Selecting wood through to finishing can span decades.
Risk level: Vulnerable · Instrument not inscribed; its central repertoire kumiodori is on UNESCO's Representative List. METI Traditional Craft Product (7 November 2018) — Okinawa's 16th. Prefectural holders for sanshin making added in May 2018 (21 makers named)
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