KABUKI instruments

Shamisen
Tzusumi
Odaiko drm
Odaiko side drum
Shime daiko drum






The shamisen is the most important
instrument in Kabuki. Imported to Japan
around the same time Kabuki was
created, it became the main instrument
for all schools of music started in the Edo
period. Here Manjiro plays a short
passage often used in dances that feature
characters of great strength.
shamisen
Shamisen.au
tsuzumi
The tsuzumi is the
central instrument
around which the
percussion ensemble
is formed. Its
distinctive "pon" is a
symbol for traditional
Japanese culture as a
whole
Tsuzumi.au
Odaiko drum
The Odaiko drum is used
to create various sound
effects, such as the
sound of rain or the wind.
The fast beats used here
symbolize the
appearance of a ghost.
Note how the eerie sound
of the flute adds to the
effect.
ODAIKO DRUM.au
Okawa side drum
The Okawa side drum
has a sharp,
distinctive sound that
sets it apart from the
other drums with
softer skins.
OKA WA SIDE DRUM.au
shime daiko drum
Usually the first sound
one hears when one
enters the theater is
the shime daiko drum,
which is used to
signal the beginning
and end of a
performance.

shime_daiko.au