November 2009
2 posts
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Aha Bushi （安波節）
This one is another common starting song for begging sanshin players because of its easy to remember rhythm. The lyrics are also slow, and paced very closely to the strumming of the sanshin, so new singers should also be able to pick it up fairly quickly.
If you haven’t noticed, this song is sung with two breathes per line!
The first line of the song goes:
[breathe] kariyushi nu...
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工工四エディター (Kunkunshi Editor) →
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a site offering free kunkunshi editing software with the ability to play back what you’ve written at different speeds and/or with different rhythms? LOOK NO FURTHER!
Thanks to Shonan on the forums for contributing this link to SimpleSanshin.
October 2009
4 posts
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Request: Send me your kunkunshi scans!
Hey guys,
I’m currently without a scanner, which makes it super difficult to post kunkunshi. If you would like to contribute to the site, please e-mail me your scanned 工工四. I’ll select the ones I find to be most accurate to what I’ve heard in Okinawa, and will post them up here with a romanji translation and a small description of what the song is about.
Thanks :)
-Kenji
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Update: FORUM?!?!
Alright, I took the hint.
I noticed people discussing things amongst themselves on the site via comments, but I’ve never liked communicating through comments when I’m trying to have a conversation, so I took the next step and created a forum for the site! Facebook, although great for linking people, is incredibly lacking compared to what php/bb forums can do, so let’s see how...
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Update: That was some insane downtime.
I’m finally back! Life has it’s quirks, and so I’ve been unable to keep up with this site as well as many of my other blogs. Hopefully that will all change now that I’ve settled down in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Expect further postings and updates to come!
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Waido Bushi （ワイド節）
(Donated kunkunshi and lyrics. Thanks to Martin in Argentina!)
March 2009
3 posts
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Update: Continued downtime
Just another update on the downtime. I’m roughly a week away from moving back to the States, and needless to say, I’m incredibly busy. I would have loved to put up some simple kunkunshi only posts as eye candy until I can get back and serious, but I just haven’t had the time. My apologies!
Hopefully my move will be a quick one, but I wouldn’t expect any big posts until...
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Update: Recent downtime
Sorry for the recent lack of posts! It’s a busy season here in Okinawa, Japan. Old students leaving or graduating, new students pouring in, and me currently in the middle of a move.
However, I’ll try to keep on updating through all this business.
Also, thanks to those constantly contributing to the site through comments or kunkunshi donations! In this busy season, such help is...
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Kanikubata （かにくばた）
(Donated kunkunshi and lyrics. Thank you!)
The song is about a girl (Kanikubata) who is forced to immigrate somewhere else, in search of work and has to leave her place of birth. The song are wishes for her happiness later in the future.
Lyrics:
1、かにくばたよ 抱きみぶすぶなりゃがま
ユイサースウーリーヌ(←ハヤシ１）、ブナリャガマ
サーハラユイサークラユイサッサ
ウッショーシショウノニングルマトマトヨォ（←ハヤシ２）
2、あらすぬ麦だきよ むとぅいかぎぶなりゃがま
(ハヤシ１）ブナリャガマ（ハヤシ２）...
February 2009
3 posts
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Mensoure （めんそーれ）
(I dictated the notes and a friend wrote it down for me, so sorry for the messy handwriting.)
This song was composed by one of the National Living Treasures of the sanshin—master Choichi Terukina. It came into my possession in a rather interesting way. A student of Terukina sensei was a classmate of mine at RyuDai, and he was more than willing to teach me to sing and play the sanshin...
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Travel with a snakeskin sanshin?
Question: Have you asked about traveling with a snakeskin sanshin before?
I can honestly say that I have! I spoke with the second in command at Chindami Kougei, and since he has gone abroad to perform the sanshin in Brazil before, I asked if he’s had any problems taking snakeskin sanshin into other countries. He said he hadn’t had any problems going into Brazil with seven or so...
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Sanshin playing robot
Created by the electrical engineering department at Ryukyu University, these two robots can play over 50 different Okinawan folk songs.
Sorry for the video’s poor quality, but the only video camera I had on me was my phone.
January 2009
3 posts
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Shima Uta (島唄)
Shima Uta is actually a Japanese pop song associated with Okinawa, and well known throughout the world. The “island song” has garnered popularity from China to Argentina, and versions of this song can be found in languages from Okinawan to Spanish.
Lyrics:
でいごの花が咲き 風を呼び嵐がきた
でいごが咲き乱れ 風を呼び嵐がきた
繰り返す悲しみは 島渡る波の様
ウージの森で あなたと出逢い （※ウージはさとうきび）
ウージの下で 千代(ﾁﾖ)にさよなら...
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Update: Traffic and posts
Hey guys! Sorry for the past two weeks of inactivity, but it’s been a busy start to 2009. I’ve gotten a few requests for more kunkunshi, and I plan to scan and upload these as soon as I can:
Shima Uta （島唄）
Shimanchu nu Takara （島人ぬ宝）
Menso-re （めんそーれ）
I’d also like to announce that simplesanshin.com’s ranking on google searches has risen! Thanks for the support and...
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Toushindooi （唐船ドーイ）
Toushindooi is a fast paced celebration song where people dance kachashi (カチャーシー). “Toushindooi” during the Ryukyu Kingdom era meant “a (trade) ship is coming!” The song is played nowadays for to end parties, gatherings, or events.
Lyrics:
唐船（とうしん）ドーイさんてーまん
いっさん走（は）えならんしや
若狭（わかさ）町村（まちむら）ぬ さー瀬名波（しなふぁ）ぬ タンメー
ハイヤ センスル ユイヤナ Romanji version:
Toushindooi santeeman...
December 2008
14 posts
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HAPPY NEW YEAR from simplesanshin.com!
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Notes and the western equivalents
Question: Where do I place the note markers, and what are the Ryukyuan notes in relation to western music?
I’ve made a video to describe the relation of the notes “in person.” You can find a map of the notes and a few more Q&As here.
Here’s a chart I made that better shows the relation between the notes, their western counterparts, and the finger used. You...
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Update: YouTube channel and thanks
Some of you may have noticed that I created a YouTube account for the Simple Sanshin Source. I’m not that great of a speaker, and most of the videos are ad-libbed on the spot, but I hope that my videos can be of some use to you.
P.S.
I’ve been a tad busy with my own things lately, but I’ll be sure to post a few new kunkunshi before the year’s end.
P.P.S.
Thanks to...
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沖縄三線楽譜一覧 (List of sanshin music) →
One of simplesanshin.com’s visitors was nice enough to give me a heads up about this site. It contains a ton of sanshin music sheets.
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The Simple Sanshin Source on YouTube →
I created a separate YouTube account for simplesanshin.com to keep things “professional.”
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Classical Ryukyuan Music →
Interesting site with historical information on the sanshin.
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Reading kunkunshi
Question: Hey I was wondering what the circle’s mean in the kukunshi, and they’re corresponding arrows?
That’s a good question that I should have addressed much sooner. Originally, I was just going to describe the symbols and their meanings, but I thought adding visual aids would help people better understand what I’m describing. I also thought I’d touch down on how...
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Bashoufu
Bashoufu, a song about Okinawa, is one of the first songs I learned because it’s fairly easy to sing along with.
Lyrics:
海の青さに 空の青
南の風に 緑葉の
芭蕉は情けに 手を招く
常夏の国 我した島沖縄（うちなー）
首里の古城の 石だたみ
昔を偲ぶ かたほとり
実れる芭蕉 熟れていた
緑葉の下 我した島沖縄（うちなー）
今は昔の 首里天加那志（しゅいてぃんじゃなし）
唐ヲゥーつむぎ はたを織り
上納ささげた 芭蕉布
浅地（あさじ）紺地（くんぢ）の 我した島沖縄（うちなー） Romanji version:
Umi no aosa ni sora no ao
Minami no kaze ni midoriba...
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Tinsagu nu Hana （てぃんさぐぬ花）
Tinsagu nu Hana, or Chinsagu nu Hana, is another supremely well known Okinawan folk song heard throughout the island. It’s a beautiful song about our relationships with our parents and life.
While the first three verses are about the guidance received from parents, the last three versus are about life goals.
Lyrics:
てぃんさぐぬ花や 爪先（ちみさち）に染（す）みてぃ
親（うや）のゆし事（ぐとぅ）や 肝（ちむ）に染（す）みり...
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Update: rewriting kunkunshi
I’ve been making regular updates to the site, but the kunkunshi section is one that hasn’t seen much action. The last edit I made was this:
*edit: 08/11/22
I’ve decided to only upload kunkunshi I’ve personally redrawn/rewrote to avoid possible trouble with copyrights. Although I don’t imagine there to be many problems because most Okinawan songs are shared folk...
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Asadoya Yunta （安里屋ユンタ）
Asadoya Yunta—a love song I suppose you could genre it—is a great song for beginners because it’s easy to play and sing along with. It’s also one of the most easily recognized songs in Okinawa, and I don’t think I can name a person around me who hasn’t heard it. So if you don’t know it already, then this is definitely a song you put in your practice...
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GO KENJI, GO KENJI, GO! →
My personal blog: the ramblings, links, and photos of a Japanese-American expat in Japan.
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Tuning to sansage （三下げ）
Question: How do I tune to sansage?
Sansage is literally translated as “three down” because you’re going to be tuning the third string—miijiru—down. The first thing you want to do is get your sanshin tuned to honchoushi, and then tune your miijiru to a low flat sound. (Your ears will eventually get used to the pitch you’re aiming for.) Then alternate playing...
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Internet sanshin prices
Question: I did some searching on eBay but the prices seem really high for a fabric sanshin ($300+). Are there any sanshin websites that sell quality sanshins at a reasonable price?
I wish I could help, but I’ve never purchased a sanshin online before. However, after visiting some Japanese internet sanshin shops, I can tell you that the online stores sell imitation skinned sanshin for...
November 2008
40 posts
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琉大留学生 →
Ryukyu University Foreign students group on mixi.
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FAQs
I’ll try to organize the questions into categories for easier accessing.
About
What’s a sanshin?
Should I buy a snakeskin sanshin, or an imitation snakeskin sanshin?
Are there any sanshin websites that sell quality sanshins at a reasonable price?
What are the proper precautions for when traveling with a sanshin? All I have is a soft case with straps on the inside to store my...
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Update: One week mark
It’s been exactly one week since I started this site, and if you don’t mind me saying so, I think I’m doing a decent job so far! I’ve got some of the basic how-to posts out of the way, and I’ve been trying to think of better ways to organize the site—like adding a “how to” section that links to specific how-to posts. If it’s easier for users to...
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How to
Set up String the gen Set the uma
Chindami - honchoushi （本調子） ・ sansage （三下げ）
Play Locate notes Mark the notes Read kunkunshi Use a bachi
(…more to be added…)
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Stringing the sanshin
Question: How do I string my sanshin?
This is something I didn’t know before, but picked up from karakui.com. If you’re unsure of which strings go where, just count the loops to determine which string is which—six loops for uujiru, seven loops for nakajiru, and eight loops for miijiru.
Anyways, find the gen you want to string and insert it through the...
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Setting up the uma
Question: How do I set up the uma?
The uma is the bridge that holds up the gen (strings) of the sanshin. Usually made of bamboo, uma are quite fragile and just as necessary to keep spares of as strings.
Setting up the uma is pretty simple. Thread the uma under the strings where the sou and chiiga meet, and as you lift the strings up, move the uma down towards the end of the sanshin....
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Update: new domain!
I purchased a new domain for this site!
Just type “simplesanshin.com” into your browser and voila, you’re here. I went with simplesanshin.com because, after some discussion with friends, I realized that it’s best to be clear and to the point when establishing a site with a purpose; this is such a site.
To those who have been e-mailing and contacting me about the site,...
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Advice to foreigners buying a sanshin
Question: Should I buy a snakeskin sanshin, or an imitation snakeskin sanshin?
The first thought that jumps into minds of international students is, “am I going to be able to bring this home?” Well, I asked one sanshin store manager about my options, and he said that because a lot of tourists come in and out of Okinawa, a sanshin makes a great vacation memento. Meaning that the store...
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Update: Tuning and quick links
I edited the chindami post into two parts, adding a separate post about tuners in the process.
I also figured that some people might want quick access to tuning, so I added a new “quick links” section to the sidebar. This way you can get in, tune, get out and start playing.
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Okinawa International Cultural Exchange Seinenkai →
“Okinawa International Cultural Exchange Seinenkai” is a mouthful, but there’s no other way to accurately title what this new group does. “Seinenkai” means something like “youth group,” but with the ages being anywhere between 18 to mid 40’s, so it’s difficult to translate the phrase effectively.
The group consists of foreigners and local...
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Tools for playing the sanshin
Question: What should I use to play the sanshin?
Bachi, usually carved from buffalo horns, come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Also called “tsume,” or (finger) “nail” in english, you can buy them with different designs or of different materials.
Playing with the bachi can be a little difficult at first, so strumming with a guitar pick or your thumb is an...
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Tuning devices
Question: What should I use to tune my sanshin?
You can find hundreds of different tuners for sale on the internet, but the most common ones I’ve seen are these:
[From the left: Korg CA-30, Tombo pitch pipe, Korg micro tuner.]
If I had to recommend a tuner, I’d probably go with the Tombo pitch pipe because even though most players I’ve met do not use tuners, the ones that...
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Sanshin notes: basic playing
Question: I’m a beginner picking up the sanshin. Where do I start?
Learning to play the sanshin is easy. It’s just a tad daunting when you open up a piece of music and see characters that you’ve never seen before. Get over that, and you’ll be right on your way. All you have to do is remember where these characters are in relation to the sanshin.
These top notes are...
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Update: About the site
I added extra information about this site in the “About me” section. Hope you check it out! :)
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