terradi (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Well consider this as well: In regards to technology Japan took a lot of Western inventions and innovations, copied them, then figured out how to make them better, or better suited for their people anyways. Japan has been considered an innovator in technology for a long time. Their achievements in that area are solely theirs. That does not mean that we have no merits of our own. Else, by using English to type all of this, we'd both be Englishmen.

Shaguar97 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

GO ASIAN MEN! W00! ROCK ON!

QianHanXiongShou (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I prefer basing my believe on fact because if I believed what the world thought a long time ago then I could never go far in a ship,because the world was flat remember :-)

QianHanXiongShou (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Every part of the instrument has a history.Some legends say the top section was the way the wife of the inventor used to keep her hair with three sticks.Japan doesnt even know that,but they luv it and call it their own without knowing why it was designed in such a way.They follow ancient Chinese traditions but without even knowing why.And then you get people who praise the Japanese for an excellent instrument and playing style.All I see is two Japanese guys enjoying a Chinese instrument

terradi (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Huh ... changes which don't result in alterations ... isn't that an oxymoron? The Shamisen's origins lie in the Sanxian. That doesn't make it the same. Sorry, but I trust the people who decided to class them as two different instruments (though definitely related), which appears to be the standard view of the world.

QianHanXiongShou (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

The sanxian has a rather long history. It was written in Yang Shen's Sheng'an waiji of the Ming Dynasty that "the origin of sanxian dated back to the Yuan Dynasty" (1279-1368). Its origin can be traced to an ancient instrument of the Qin Dynasty called xiantao.

QianHanXiongShou (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

The things u love so much about this music is actually Chinese in origin.Without doing research you and many other people will never know that. The way they forced to hold the Shamisen;playing it sitting down;the distinctive tones of the Shamisen;all is Chinese.The fundamentals remain the same.The small Japanese changes,changes nothing:-)Compare the two instruments without knowing which is which,you will be amazed.Now find out where is comes from.Japanese changes have not altered the instrument

soubilovesritsuka (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

btw if ou hadn't noticed they're playing shamisen and not what is the 'okinawan' shamisen whic was based on a chinese instrument. Shamisen was its' own development by the japanese. I love the yosida brother music so do many other people.

TAKENnameARGH (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Tis' not very good as a piece... just that it's played with an exotic instrument.

jukucholove (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Japan is popular with most Asians except Chinese and Korean.