Okinawan music has a uniquely distinctive vibe—there are plenty of laid-back songs that calm the heart when you listen to them, and lots of upbeat tunes that make you want to dance! The unique feel of Okinawan music owes a lot to the Ryukyu scale, but it’s also greatly influenced by the use of instruments unique to Okinawa.
In particular, the sanshin is the quintessential Okinawan instrument, and I think everyone has heard its tone at least once.
In this article, I’ll introduce other instruments that are commonly played in Okinawa as well, so let this be your chance to learn about the background and sounds of each instrument.
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List of Okinawan instruments: Folk instruments of Ryukyuan music
sanshin
When it comes to Okinawan instruments, isn’t the sanshin probably the most famous? It’s used not only in Okinawan folk songs, but almost without fail in pop music by artists from Okinawa and in songs themed around Okinawa.
The sanshin is said to be the predecessor of the shamisen, and it’s characterized by the python skin stretched over its body.
As its name suggests, it has three strings, which are plucked with a plectrum to produce sound.
Its appearance and playing style are similar to the shamisen, but the sanshin is considered to have a softer tone than the shamisen, so it might be fun to compare the two and listen for the differences.
Ryukyu Karen
When you think of Okinawan instruments, you might picture only traditional ones that have been passed down for generations.
However, the Ryukyu Karen is a relatively new instrument invented by Seijiro Komezu after 2000.
It has a total of 13 strings: four sets of three metal strings grouped together, plus a single sanshin string, making it a unique instrument that feels like a combination of a guitar and a sanshin.
The grouped metal strings produce chords just by being strummed without fretting, while the single sanshin string is used to play the melody.
Because of this, it’s an instrument that even small children and elderly people with little experience playing music can enjoy with ease.
Ryukyu flute
Among Okinawan instruments, one of the relatively well-known and frequently heard ones is the Ryukyuan flute.
Said to have originally come from China, the Ryukyuan flute is made of bamboo and is a transverse flute played sideways like a Western flute.
As its simple construction suggests, it produces the kind of rustic, warm tone you might imagine from a bamboo flute.
At the same time, it can also deliver a powerful sound, so it is sometimes used to carry the melody in sessions with other instruments.
Its compact and charming appearance makes it a great choice to start as a hobby.
Yotsudake
Yotsudake is one of the instruments used in Ryukyuan classical dance.
It is called yotsudake because performers hold a pair of bamboo plates—two pieces in a set—in both hands to play it.
The playing method is simple: in time with the accompaniment, the plates are struck against each other to produce sounds like castanets.
It can create a crisp, clacking “pachin” sound similar to wooden clappers.
As an instrument used in classical dance, it is played as part of the choreography.
Adorned with beautiful tassels that complement Okinawa’s colorful traditional costumes, it also serves as a dance prop.
Paranku
A paranku is a drum about the size of a tambourine that you strike with a stick to produce sound.
The skin is stretched only over one side of the shell, and the other side has a large opening.
The thick, hard cowhide is fastened with rivets, and when struck with a stick, it produces a hard, sharp sound.
In Okinawa, the paranku is a very common instrument used in Eisa, and it seems to be something people come into contact with from a young age.
Because it can be played with one hand, it’s often seen being performed while dancing Eisa.
Shimedeeku
Shimedeku refers to the shime-daiko (tightened drum).
As the name suggests, it’s a drum whose heads are tightened and fixed to the shell with ropes.
It’s about 30 cm in diameter, making it slightly larger than the paranku.
Like the paranku, it’s held in one hand and played while dancing in Eisa.
It looks like a shallower version of the small hand drum used in Noh theater, but because its heads are stretched more tightly than those of the small hand drum, it produces a harder, sharper sound.
Among the drums used in Eisa, it’s considered a star instrument, and, together with the dance, it’s extremely captivating.
three boards
Sanba is pronounced “sanba,” and as the name suggests, it is an instrument that looks like three wooden plates connected by a cord.
It’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, and you play it by holding one plate each between the thumb and index, middle, and ring fingers of the left hand.
When performing, you produce sound by striking the plates using the left thumb, and you can also use the right hand to articulate eighth notes and sixteenth notes; with practice, you can create complex rhythms.
The right hand is often moved with fluttering, dance-like gestures while playing, making not only the sound but also the performer’s movements beautiful.