Shamisen “SHAMIKO”

The shamiko is a modern take on the traditional Japanese string instrument called shamisen. It has three strings, and a part of the name “shamiko” comes from the kanji character for 'three'. The shamiko is smaller than the shamisen; it is light and compact, easy to carry around.
The shamiko is built with tradition and pure nature. The shamiko's sound box (body) is made from '枡'('masu'), a square wooden measuring cup for sake or rice, which were heavily used in the past. Instead of animal skin, the shamiko uses sturdy natural paper, making this an eco-friendly, and a cruelty-free instrument. Whatever your musical ability, why not give the shamiko a try – with just a little bit of effort, it will reward you with a uniquely Japanese sound.
In the summer of 2025, we added the FUTOZAO SHAMISEN to our Shamiko lineup. We've been committed to maintaining the traditional, beautiful shape of the shamisen, and have generously utilized Japan's best shamisen processing techniques to create this new shamisen, crafted entirely from new materials. It's 30% lighter than traditional shamisen, and 40% less expensive. Enjoy the new Japanese sound.