The shamisen or samisen (Japanese:, literally "three flavor strings"), also called sangen (literally "three strings")'s a three-stringed musical instrument played with a plectrum called a bachi. The pronunciation in Japanese's usually "shamisen" (in western Japan, and often in Edo-period sources "samisen") but sometimes "jamisen" when used as a suffix (for example, Tsugaru-jamisen). Construction The shamisen's similar in length to a guitar, but its neck's much slimmer and without frets. Its dru… (More on Shamisen)