The Spirit of Japan: A Collection of Famous and Popular Shamisen Pieces
The shamisen is the quintessential traditional Japanese instrument.
Of course, it’s used to perform classic pieces, but it’s also a highly versatile instrument that shines in solo performances of intense songs and in collaborations with rock bands—traditional yet packed with showmanship.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of songs that feature the shamisen.
We’ve included everything from older works to the latest tracks!
If you’re thinking about starting the shamisen, you might find this helpful—so be sure to read to the end!
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[The Spirit of Japan] Shamisen Masterpieces and Popular Songs (11–20)
-Poem of Fate-Agatsuma Hiromitsu
Hiroaki Agatsuma is a master of the shamisen with numerous awards to his name, including winning a national shamisen competition at the young age of 15.
He also composes music and collaborates with Western artists, enjoying international popularity.
“En no Uta” is a masterpiece that refreshingly expresses the profound allure of Japanese aesthetics, expanding without bounds.
It is also well known as the theme song for TV Tokyo’s program “Wafu Sōhonke.”
Tsugaru Aiya-bushiKinoshita Tsuneari
This song is said to trace its roots to the Edo period, when sailors on the Kitamaebune ships spread a Kyushu folk tune called “Haiya-bushi” to ports all across Japan.
The origin of the word “aiya” is the important “south wind” that fishermen relied on when setting sail.
At the time, the south wind was read as “hae,” which seems to have evolved as hae → haea → haeya → haiya → aiya.
Akita Nikata-bushihanawachie
“Akita Nikata-bushi” is a renowned Akita folk song distinguished by its delicate, rhythmically articulated high tones.
The performer, Chie Hanawa, is a formidable talent who, at the age of 17, became the youngest champion at the 2000 All-Japan Tsugaru Shamisen Competition.
While still a student at a music university, she made her album debut, and has since been active in a wide range of settings, including a command performance at the Imperial Palace, overseas concerts, and ensemble projects with shakuhachi and violin.
Sado OkesaKizu Kaori
It is a folk song handed down in Sado City, Niigata Prefecture.
It is said to have originated from the “Senkōjō-bushi,” which spread among miners at the Sado Gold Mine on Sado Island, and through various factors came to be known as “Sado Okesa.” The song carries a straightforward message that sings of the landscapes spread across the region and a deep affection for the land.
In this piece, the shamisen is used as an accompanying instrument; among the many versions, it is always included and is one of the most important elements.
Combining folk songs with modern instruments would also be an interesting approach.
Moon over the Ruined Castle
This piece features a beautiful Western scale, while also letting you sense touches of Japanese scales in places.
Its wistful minor scale really resonates with the heart.
The work has a long history and was composed in the Meiji era by Rentarō Taki.
It is also known as the first example of Western music in Japan.
In this video, it is performed using a futozao shamisen (thick-neck shamisen).
Because it differs from traditional Japanese scales, there are many precise finger positions on the shamisen, making a clean performance extremely challenging.
It’s a classic that strikes a chord in the hearts of Japanese people—how wonderful it would be to play it on traditional Japanese instruments!
Kokiriko-bushitoukyou futari
The “Kokiriko-bushi” is a song passed down in the Gokayama region of Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture, and is said to be Japan’s oldest folk song.
It is registered as part of the national Intangible Cultural Property under the collection “Songs and Dances of Gokayama.” This video features an arrangement of “Kokiriko-bushi” by the Tsugaru shamisen duo Momokyo futari, performed by Hibiki Sawada and Mokusho Iwata.
The intense playing—complete with the percussive qualities characteristic of the Tsugaru shamisen—and the fast, note-dense passages lend a contemporary feel to this time-honored piece.
[The Spirit of Japan] Shamisen Masterpieces and Popular Songs (21–30)
Paradise Has No BorderShimura Ken × Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra
This is a song that Ken Shimura and Hiromitsu Agatsuma collaborated on with Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra.
It was featured in a 2016 KIRIN “Hyoketsu” commercial and became a hot topic.
The opening is a skit-style segment featuring the grand entrance of the Bakatonosama (Fool Lord), but around 35 seconds in, a stunning live performance starts as a surprise.
The dynamic energy characteristic of Skapara resonates with the lively tones of the shamisen.