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 ...

A koto is a traditional Japanese 13-stringed instrument similar to a zither, with movable bridges for tuning. Players wear three picks known as tsume on their thumb and first two fingers to pluck the ...

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 ...