shima uta

n addition to frisbee, which was at one time referred to as “The Thing I Do,” I try to pick up one new hobby every once and a while to keep me cultured. The banner at the top of this page is one such exampe; it is an ink painting I drew while in Kyoto a few years ago. In the past I have participated in piano lessons, ink painting, classical voice lessons, pottery, koto lessons, and kempo. These days I am playing the sanshin.

The sanshin is a three stringed Okinawan instrument which might be described as being similar to a banjo. It is related to several Chinese instruments and the shamisen of the mainlands. Traditionally, the body of a sanshin was stretched with snake hide, and the high quality ones are still today. The last few months I was in Japan I became interested in Okinawan folk music, most of which is accompanied by a sanshin. I resolved to take one home with me and learn it. Thanks to the generousity of my host family, I boarded the plane with a brand new, never been played sanshin on my back.

The sanshin has become my reason for procrastination. No, this is not true yet. Playing it is still merely my rest from hours of reading Japanese texts, but I’m sure it will come in handy as an excuse in the near future. I play it several hours a day, annoying my neighbors to no end, I’m sure, and I have gotten fairly proficient. This proficiency is, however, relative to the fact that I have never played with someone else, just listened to the masters on old albums. I’ll know that my technique or style is horrendously wrong if I ever have a chance to participate in an Okinawan folk music jam session. Unfortunately, among all the Asians at IU there seems to be a serious lack of Okinawans, or at least sanshin playing Okinawans who respond to posts on message boards.

Until the time when I get a real teacher, I will continue plucking away by myself. It’s a good hobby to have.