The most popular and well-known instrument from Japan is the shamisen. It is a traditional string instrument that somewhat resembles a guitar from afar, although it is plucked like a banjo or a lute instead of strummed. It is used in a variety of Japanese musical styles, including joruri (bunraku narrative chants), nagauta (kabuki songs), and min'yo (folk songs). The shamisen has a long history in Japan and is believed to have originated in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907).
