Sanshin
An Integral Part of Okinawan Entertainment
The sanshin is a traditional three-stringed instrument with a small body and thin neck and is covered with snakeskin. Okinawan minyo cannot exist without the sanshin. Okinawan entertainment culture developed when the Ryukyu Kingdom welcomed Chinese envoys with music and dance performances as well as with Ryukyu food. The envoys used to say, "Ryukyu samurai don't carry a sword but always carry a sanshin." In fact, a nobleman who was proficient at music and dance was elevated to a higher rank within the nobility. The songs that were sung by the old Ryukyuans are called "koten" (classical) and are still performed today. |
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