These tattooed badasses are not, in fact, extras from that bafflingly misguided "47 Ronin" movie. They’re the members of the newly-signed Wagakki Band, which combines the chunky guitar chords and ...

Dozens of instruments cluttered the floor of the cramped Schoenberg room, creating a carpet of wood, string and metal pieces. In the back corner, an intricate and large Japanese drum loomed over the ...

NAGAHAMA, Shiga -- Production of silk strings for traditional Japanese instruments such as the shamisen and koto is at its seasonal peak in this western Japan town. At the workshop of Marusan ...

Amid cold conditions at Marusan Hashimoto Co.'s studio, silk threads are stretched between hooks on pillars and excess glue wiped off with a cloth in a process for making strings for Japanese ...

This article is part of a two-part series. To learn about a biwa master and her music lessons, see here. Traditional Japanese instruments, also known as wagakki, are an intrinsic part of Japan’s rich ...

The loss of natural ivory could threaten traditional Japanese instruments. Now some musicians are now teaming up with scientists to find a replacement Shoin Hagioka thumps the base of his koto, ...