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)
Sweet EsquivaKoyama Yutaka meets Shima Yusuke
A track from the session-style collaborative work “Yutaka Oyama meets Yusuke Shima,” featuring Yutaka Oyama, the third-generation head of the Oyama school of Tsugaru shamisen, and trumpeter Yusuke Shima.
It’s a miraculous fusion of jazz and traditional Japanese instruments.
I’ve often heard that it’s extremely difficult for traditional Japanese instruments to adapt to the distinctive rhythms of Western music, but Oyama’s shamisen arrangement is truly masterful.
Far from feeling any mismatch, I find myself so absorbed that I start to think this might be the original way Tsugaru shamisen was meant to be played!
The Four Seasons of TsugaruEndo Erina
Tsugaru no Shiki (The Four Seasons of Tsugaru) is a roughly 10-minute-long piece that delicately portrays the changing seasons.
It is based on a characteristically Tsugaru-style folk melody and even weaves in familiar phrases like Akatonbo (Red Dragonfly).
The performer, Erina Endo, is a shamisen player who has been active both in Japan and abroad since a young age.
She is also well known beyond the world of shamisen, serving as a host-reporter for Aomori TV’s Fushigi Series, among other roles.
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.
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.
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)
Rapidtoukyou futari
An original piece by the Tsugaru shamisen duo Tōkyō futari, composed of Hibiki Sawada and Mokusho Iwata.
The bold, quintessentially Tsugaru shamisen timbre of the main line is striking, and above all, the choice to build the entire track using only Tsugaru shamisen—without adding other instruments—conveys a sense of respect for this traditional instrument.
While the shamisen imparts a distinctly Japanese atmosphere, the melody carried by the main line also strongly evokes a contemporary musical sensibility.
It’s a work that could serve as a gateway for a broad range of listeners to discover the Tsugaru shamisen.