This instrument was introduced to Sakai from Ryukyu (Okinawa) about 400 years ago and has preserved its original form to this day. Its distinctive feature is that a single craftsman handles everything from woodworking to the stretching of the sound membrane. The neck is made from stable South Pacific hardwood and crafted using specialized tools (planes, chisels, saws, and files). It is a globally rare instrument that uses natural animal hides for its sound membrane.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. Jointing shall be done using the following techniques or methods:
  (1) Using a saw, chisel, and file, make tenons in the cut wood, cut grooves using a marking tool and chisel, and make mortise holes using a scraper and a hammer.
  (2) Join the joints together and shape them into a straight line using a plane.

  2. Polishing shall be carried out using the following techniques or methods:
  (1) The neck of the instrument should be polished using a whetstone.
  (2) Shine it by hand and finish with vegetable oil.

  3. When cutting the handle, use a whetstone to create grooves.

  4. In leather upholstery, wooden plugs, ropes, twists, wedges, and stretching stands are used to press the leather onto the body.

   

  raw materials
  1. The pole shall be made of kōki, shitan, karin, kuwa, or a material of equivalent quality.

  2. The body shall be made of quince or mulberry, or a material of equivalent quality.

  3. The hide shall be cat hide or dog hide, or of a material equivalent to these hides.