Biwa

Came to Japan in the 7th Century Evolved from the instrument pipa

(derive from similar instrument from

Western Asia)

Types of Biwa
Classic biwa Middle and Edo biwa Modern biwa

Classic Biwa
Gagaku-biwa
A large and heavy biwa with four string and four frets used exclusively for gagaku.

Gogen-biwa
Can be seen in paintings of court orchestras and was used in the context of gagaku. Removed with the reforms and standardizations made to the court orchestra during the late 10th Century. Also disappear in the Chinese court orchestras.

Classic Biwa
Moso-biwa
A biwa with four stings.

Used to play buddhist mantra and songs.

Similar in shape to the chikuzen-biwa, but with a much more narrow body.

Middle and Edo biwa

Heike-biwa
With four strings and five frets. Used to play Heike Monogatari. Its plectrum is slightly larger than gagaku-biwa but smaller than chikuzen-biwa.

Middle and Edo biwa

Satsuma-biwa
With four strings and four frets. Popular during the Edo Period in Satsuma Province (Kagoshima). The frets are raised 4 centimeter from the neck allowing notes to be bent several steps higher

Modern Biwa
Chikuzen-biwa
With four or five strings and four or five frets. Popular in the Meiji Period. Five string version mostly used by contemporary performers.

Its plectrum is much smaller than Satsuma biwa.

Modern Biwa
Nishiki-biwa
With five strings and five frets

Its plectrum is the same as Satsuma biwa

Koto
The ancestor of the koto was the Chinese zheng. Introduced to Japan in the 7th and 8th century. The first version had five strings then increased to 7 strings. In the early Nara Period, it is increased to 12 strings then to 13 strings

Shamisen
Shamisen or known as Samisen or Sangen

Is

three-stringed

musical

instrument played with a plectrum called bachi.