”Marusan Hashimoto Co., Ltd.” Strings that Produce Beautiful Music

2010.5.12019.4.23

Creating Strings for Instruments

Music is an important aspect of culture. When the Japanese hear traditional Japanese instruments, they sense the tradition of Japan in the tones. For instance, Japanese melody played on the ”koto” during New Year’s programs on TV definitely bring a sense of ”Japanese sound” to those who hear it.
People may be surprised when they learn that the strings used for ”koto” are made of silk. Most Japanese string instruments, including ”shamisen”, ”sanshin” and ”biwa” all use silk strings. While these are now being substituted with chemical fibers, the authentic tone of the instrument can only be produced by silk.

Completed each and every string with utmost care

”Marusan Hashimoto” manufactures strings for Japanese instruments. Surprisingly, they produce over 350 types of strings according to the instrument and their different pitch. The procedure is extremely delicate as the strength and size of the string affects the pitch that is produced. Because of this, all 19 steps in creating the strings are done completely by hand at Marusan Hashimoto.
Besides being used for their musical value, the beautiful silk strings are used for kimono and obi, as well as traditional art. The flexibility, elegance and shine of woven silk thread instills an appreciation for the beauty of thread.