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Shovel shamisen is a quirky and fun addition to the Japanese music scene【Video】

Elliot Hale Mar 8, 2025
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What started as a garden tool is now a bona fide musical instrument.

Learning a new instrument isn’t easy. Putting aside the choice of what instrument to learn, the initial cost can be very prohibitive, particularly for the larger ones like a harp or the more unusual ones like an octobass. For some people, all it takes is a couple of everyday objects and a can-do attitude to become master musicians, just like the creators of the shovel shamisen. That’s right—a shovel and bottle opener are all you need!

▼ A shovel shamisen performance

The Japanese shamisen has a long and rich history as a musical instrument. Originally derived from a similar three-stringed Chinese instrument in the 16th century, it has become a main feature of traditional Japanese music. From the dramatic performances of kabuki and the puppet theater of bunraku to the folk-rock tunes of Wagakki Band, showing that the shamisen is as versatile in Japanese music as the violin is in western classical music.

▼ The traditional shamisen

Shovel shamisen began as a fun, little party act in Aomori, where people attempted to recreate the style and sound of the shamisen using nothing more than a simple shovel and a bottle opener. Over time, the act evolved into a legitimate art form in its own right, complete with official competitions, local tournaments, and even a world championship.

In the town of Hokuei, Tottori, a passionate group of performers have been gathering together to enjoy the activity for about 13 years under the name of Sco-shan, a portmanteau of sukoppu (“shovel”) and shamisen. The fact that members are in their 70s and 80s does little to diminish the amount of energy and enthusiasm they bring to their performances. Leading the group is the music-loving 87-year-old Takashi Hishii, who has been a member of both a choir and a band for seniors.

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A post shared by 北栄町 Hokuei Town【公式】 (@hokuei.tottori)

The concept of shovel shamisen sounds simple: just bang a shovel to the beat, although it actually takes a little more skill to pull off a decent performance. Not only do you need to have rhythm, but also the coordination to move your hand up and down the neck of the instrument to simulate the note changes of a traditional shamisen. They even have proper sheet music for the songs they play, as shown in the point cued up in the video below, proving that it’s not simply random clanging.

Throw in some synchronized movements and added flairs and you’ve got yourself an impressive performance.

Shovel shamisen is pretty fun, but it doesn’t stop there. It’s also a pretty good workout, both physically and mentally. It trains both hand-eye coordination and multi-tasking, allowing players to stay mentally active, even if they’re getting on in years. In fact, some players are convinced that it’s having a positive effect in staving off dementia. That’s not to mention the social aspect, where group members enjoy chatting with each other during the breaks and on the journeys to their performances.

Whether you are looking for a unique hobby, a new party trick, or just an excuse to bang on a shovel, shovel shamisen might be exactly what you’re looking for. So grab your shovel and bottle opener and let’s start clanging—world championship, here we come.

Source: Youtube/ちゃんねるテレポート山陰, Instagram/hokuei.tottori
Top image: Pakutaso
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