Find your musical direction.
Shamisen comes in different types for different musical traditions, including nagauta, jiuta and min’yō. Tell us what you would like to play, and ask us about a suitable instrument.
Browse shamisen
JAPANESE INSTRUMENTS / SHIMOKITAZAWA, TOKYOA sound of Japan.
A sound of Japan.
A voice of your own.
Discover the shamisen and koto through instruments you can make part of your life. Explore our restored, pre-owned selection—and find the sound that speaks to you.
DISCOVER / PLAY / MAKE IT YOURSGet closer to Japan.
Get closer to Japan.
One note at a time.
The shamisen and koto are part of Japan’s musical culture. Their sounds invite you to listen closely—and to discover what happens when you play them yourself.
Whether a performance first caught your ear or you are looking for a new sound for your own music, choosing an instrument is a way to begin a lasting connection.
At Ohtsu Koto Sangen, we bring instrument-making experience to a carefully restored, pre-owned selection, with a particular focus on Tsugaru shamisen.
MEET THE TSUGARU SHAMISENThree strings.
Three strings.
So much to discover.
The shamisen is a Japanese three-stringed instrument played with a plectrum called a bachi. Tsugaru shamisen uses a thick neck and offers a distinctive place to start exploring its sound.
Listen to the attack of a note and the resonance that follows. Feel the neck in your hand. Look at the colour and grain of the wood. Each instrument gives you something different to connect with.
Browse Tsugaru shamisen
KOTO
A different side of Japanese sound.
The koto is a Japanese stringed instrument played with picks worn on the fingers. Explore its ringing notes, the character of its wood and the possibilities it brings to your music.
Browse kotoFIND YOUR KOTOA resonance to discover.
A resonance to discover.
An instrument to live with.
A koto has its own voice and character, too. Listen to the first note and the lingering resonance. Notice the colour and grain of the wood, and how the instrument responds as you play.
Whether you are beginning lessons or looking for your next instrument, tell us about your music, budget and any requirements from your teacher. Ask us about available koto and the possibility of trying one in store.
FIND YOUR INSTRUMENTMore than a sound.
More than a sound.
A feeling that fits.
Two shamisen can feel quite different in your hands. Our restored, pre-owned shamisen can be tried in store, so you can compare them before choosing.
You do not need to know every instrument name to start a conversation. Tell us what caught your interest, what you hope to play and your budget.
Plan your shop visitListen.
The first note, its resonance, the way it responds to your playing.
Feel.
The surface of the neck and the way your fingers move along it.
Look.
The wood’s colour and grain. An instrument you want to pick up again.
Hold.
The weight and balance when you sit with it, and how it fits your hands.
THE CRAFT BEHIND YOUR INSTRUMENTMade with knowledge.
Made with knowledge.
Restored with care.
Established in 1901, Ohtsu Koto Sangen makes, restores and sells shamisen and koto. The skills used to make a new instrument also guide the work that gives a pre-owned one its next chapter.
Restored with the care of making something new.
Our aim is to bring each pre-owned instrument to a condition comparable to a new one—in its appearance, sound and feel. That takes more than cleaning the surface. Understanding how an instrument is made helps us decide what to preserve, what to repair and how each part should work with the others.
Every stage calls for its own knowledge and touch. We take the time to assess, work and check again, bringing the skills of instrument making to every detail.
Read the instrument.
Wear, damage and the fit of the parts tell us where attention is needed. We consider the instrument as a whole, using experience gained from making new instruments to decide what to keep and where to intervene.
Work a little. Check again.
Wood cannot be put back once it is removed. We work gradually, judging the amount to remove, the shape and the finish. The way a surface feels in the hand matters as much as its appearance.
Care for what carries the sound.
When the skin needs replacing, we consider both the material and the body beneath it. Stretching and tensioning require their own skills: the task is to judge the tension carefully, not simply pull harder.
Make the details work together.
Tuning pegs need to turn when you tune and hold their position afterwards. Careful attention to these small fittings helps bring the work on individual parts together into an instrument that feels good to play.
SKILLS PASSED ON, AND CONTINUALLY REFINED
A tradition of making, recognised in Tokyo.
In 2009, our third-generation craftsman was recognised by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as a traditional craftsman in Tokyo koto making. The knowledge developed through making and repairing instruments also informs the preparation of our pre-owned selection.
Japanese craftsmanship, ready for your next note.
Find your instrumentFOR CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE JAPAN
Buying, payment and shipping.
01
Tell us which instrument you want
Use the inquiry form to tell us which instrument you would like to buy. Please include the product name or link and your destination country and city.
02
Receive a quotation
We will let you know the instrument price and shipping cost.
03
Pay in advance via Wise
Once you have reviewed the quotation, make your payment in advance via Wise.
04
We ship with DHL
After we confirm receipt of your payment, we will ship your instrument with DHL.
Estimated shipping costs
We ship with DHL. For compact packing, a Tsugaru shamisen is disassembled into three sections. The packed weight is approximately 5.5 kg.
Tsugaru shamisen: approximately JPY 20,000–30,000 to the United States, including destinations such as Los Angeles.
Koto: approximately JPY 67,000 to the United States.
These are examples of estimated shipping costs, not fixed rates. Shipping costs vary depending on the box size and destination country or region. We will provide an individual quotation for the exact shipping cost after your inquiry.
MEET YOUR INSTRUMENT IN TOKYOVisit us in
Visit us in
Shimokitazawa.
Make time to meet an instrument in person. Please contact us in advance about the shamisen you would like to try and your preferred visit time.
Ohtsu Koto Sangen
Director: Ryo Ohtsu
5-29-2 Daizawa, Setagaya-ku,
Tokyo 155-0032, Japan
About a 7-minute walk from either the Southwest Exit of Shimokitazawa Station on the Odakyu Line or the Central Exit on the Keio Inokashira Line.
Opening hours: 9:00–17:00
Closed: Sundays and Japanese public holidays
Ordering from outside Japan? See our purchase, payment and shipping guide.
CONTACT
Send us an inquiry.
Tell us about the instrument you are interested in, your visit, or a repair request, or a buyback request for a Tsugaru shamisen (thick-necked shamisen).
For inquiries, use the form below. You can also browse instruments in our online shop (Japanese site).
Inquiry form
Please complete the form below. We will reply by email.