Shamisen Collection

Geisha Playing Shamisen
A young geisha practises on her shamisen

Chinese musical instruments
A selection of Chinese musical instruments, including a bell(1), gong, (2), cymbals(4), a guqin or seven-stringed zither(7), a pipa or four-stringed lute (8), Yueqin or moon-shaped lute(11)

Japanese Geisha playing a Traditional Shamisen
Japanese Geisha in her home playing a Traditional Shamisen Date: circa 1904

Geisha / Instruments / C1900
Three geisha, in informal kimono: one practises on her shamisen whilst another reads

Courtesans playing shamisen to entertain a customer drinking sake in the pleasure quarters. Kamuro maids serve sake
FLO4630703 Courtesans playing shamisen to entertain a customer drinking sake in the pleasure quarters. Kamuro maids serve sake

Samurai customer with kamuro walking past two shamisen players in the pleasure quarters
FLO4630869 Samurai customer with kamuro walking past two shamisen players in the pleasure quarters. Woodblock print by Moronobu Hishikawa (1618-1694) from Fuzoku Emakimono

Courtesans playing shamisen and dancing in Kyomachi, Yoshiwara. They sit outside a barred teahouse in the pleasure
FLO4630830 Courtesans playing shamisen and dancing in Kyomachi, Yoshiwara. They sit outside a barred teahouse in the pleasure quarters

Courtesan entertaining a customer by playing the shamisen in the pleasure quarters
FLO4630888 Courtesan entertaining a customer by playing the shamisen in the pleasure quarters. Woodblock print by Masanobu Okumura (1686-1764) from Fuzoku Emakimono

Samurai walk past courtesans in barred teahouses, a courtesan entertains a customer upstairs
FLO4630772 Samurai walk past courtesans in barred teahouses, a courtesan entertains a customer upstairs, and a man with a lantern guides a couple in the street. Scene in Kyomachi Yoshiwara

Courtesan playing a shamisen for customers Fukurokuju and Daikokuten of the Seven Lucky Gods
FLO4630723 Courtesan playing a shamisen for customers Fukurokuju and Daikokuten of the Seven Lucky Gods. A maid stands on Daikokuten's back to put a table

The Actor Nakamura Shikan IV, 1884. Creator: Toyohara Kunichika
The Actor Nakamura Shikan IV, 1884

Wisteria Maiden Dancing for a Demon with a Samisen, late 18th-early 19th century. Creator: Kitao Masanobu
Wisteria Maiden Dancing for a Demon with a Samisen, late 18th-early 19th century

A Scene from the Play Hana no ura gikyoku tsuki (image 1 of 3), 1846. Creator: Utagawa Kunisada
A Scene from the Play Hana no ura gikyoku tsuki (image 1 of 3), 1846

Forms of Entertainment, 19th century. Creator: Unknown
Forms of Entertainment, 19th century

Geisha Tuning a Samisen, c1835. Creator: Yanagawa Shigenobu II
Geisha Tuning a Samisen, c1835. "Hand-Made" Flower Arrangement. From Flower Matching Contest, number 4

Geisha Accompanying Dancing Measles with Samisen, 1862. Creator: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Geisha Accompanying Dancing Measles with Samisen, 1862

Scene froma Kabuki play, Mid-late 1780s. Creator: Torii Kiyonaga
Scene froma Kabuki play, Mid-late 1780s. Actors Sawamura Sojuro III as Nuregami Chogoro, Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Hanaregoma Chokichi, Segawa Kikunojo III as Azuma

Inept Dilettante, between circa 1863 and circa 1866. Creator: Kawanabe Kyosai
Inept Dilettante, between circa 1863 and circa 1866

The Waka Murasaki Chapter from "The Tale of Genji" (Genji Waka Murasaki)...parodies, c. 1710
The Waka Murasaki Chapter from "The Tale of Genji" (Genji Waka Murasaki), from a series of Genji parodies, c. 1710

The Momiji-no-ga Chapter from "The Tale of Genji" (Genji Momiji-no-ga), from a series... c. 1710
The Momiji-no-ga Chapter from "The Tale of Genji" (Genji Momiji-no-ga), from a series of Genji parodies, c. 1710

Futatsuryu of Izutsuya as a Musician (Hayashi), from the series "Parade of the Shimanouchi... 1836
Futatsuryu of Izutsuya as a Musician (Hayashi), from the series "Parade of the Shimanouchi Pleasure Quarter (Shimanouchi nerimono)", 1836

Turning a Shamisen (Shamisen no nejime), from the series "Chanting to Shamisen by... c. 1804/06
Turning a Shamisen (Shamisen no nejime), from the series "Chanting to Shamisen by Young Women of Today (Tosei musume joruri)", Japan, c. 1804/06

The Actors Segawa Kikunojo II as the Wet Nurse Reizei, Ichikawa Komazo I as Suruga no... c. 1768. Creator: Shunsho
The Actors Segawa Kikunojo II as the Wet Nurse Reizei, Ichikawa Komazo I as Suruga no Hachiro in the Guise of the Shamisen Player Kichiroku (right)

No. 4: Personally Arranged Flower (Teike no hana), from the series "A Comparison...", late 1820s
No. 4: Personally Arranged Flower (Teike no hana), from the series "A Comparison of Flowers (Hana awase)", late 1820s

Iris Garden, c. 1781/89. Creator: Katsukawa Shuncho
Iris Garden, c. 1781/89. Detail from a larger artwork

Picnic Party at Hagidera, c. 1785/95. Creator: Katsukawa Shuncho
Picnic Party at Hagidera, c. 1785/95. Women and children relax on a day out: trying to catch a cricket to put in a cage; smoking a kiseru, playing the shamisen. Detail from a larger artwork

Pleasure Boats on the Sumida River, c. 1792. Creator: Hosoda Eishi
Pleasure Boats on the Sumida River, c. 1792. A woman plays the shamisen. Detail from a larger artwork

Fukurokuju, from the series "The Seven Gods of Good Luck in the Floating World...", c. 1769
Fukurokuju, from the series "The Seven Gods of Good Luck in the Floating World (Ukiyo Shichi Fukujin)", c. 1769

The Moon (Tsuki), from the series "Fashionable Scenes of Snow, Moon and Flowers...c. 1768/69
The Moon (Tsuki), from the series "Fashionable Scenes of Snow, Moon and Flowers (Furyu setsugekka)", c. 1768/69

Heating Sake with Maple Leaves (Kanzake momijigari), no. 9 from a series of 12 prints... c.1716/35
Heating Sake with Maple Leaves (Kanzake momijigari), no. 9 from a series of 12 prints depicting parodies of plays, c. 1716/35

JAPAN 9
Japan/ Kyoto/ Gion area the neighbourhood where Geishas live, study and perform. Geishas and Maikos attending a class at " Mia Garatso" school of Geisha

JAPAN 4
Japan/ Kyoto/ Gion area, neighbourhood where Geishas live and perform. Face portrait of a smiling Maiko with combed hair, white make up, head ornaments and traditional kimono

JAPAN 32
Japan/ Kyoto/ Gion area, neighbourhood where Geishas live and perform. Geisha with white make up on her face, combed hair, head ornaments and traditional kimono

Traditional Japanese Woodblock female musician
Kunisada (1786-1865), was in his own time was the most popular and successful print designer in Japan. This print of 1862 shows an actor Nakamura Daikich with a Shamisen is a 3-stringed lute with a

Japan - Musical Instrument Shop - Shamisens
Musical Instrument Shop, Japan. Note the selection of Shamisens in the window. Date: circa 1920s

Japanese Triptych Woodblock Cherry Blossom entertainment
A wonderful Triptych Ukiyo-e print for the master Kunisada Utagawa (1786-1864) started his career as the chief pupil of the head of the Utagawa school

Three samurai listen to a courtesan play the shamisen, as a kamuro brings food on a tray
FLO4630777 Three samurai listen to a courtesan play the shamisen, as a kamuro brings food on a tray. Woodblock print by Masanobu Okumura (1686-1764) from Fuzoku Emakimono

Street Scene in Yoshiwara, late 17th century. Creator: Hishikawa Moronobu
Street Scene in Yoshiwara, late 17th century

The Actors Segawa Kikunojo III as the ghost of Yatsuhashi, Sawamura Sojuro III as Soga no... 1783
The Actors Segawa Kikunojo III as the ghost of Yatsuhashi, Sawamura Sojuro III as Soga no Juro, and Ichikawa Danjuro V as the ghost of Seigen, in the play "Sono Omokage Matsu ni Sakura

The Actors Nakayama Kojuro VI (Nakamura Nakazo I) as Chidori, Sawamura Sojuro III as Shige... 1785
The Actors Nakayama Kojuro VI (Nakamura Nakazo I) as Chidori, Sawamura Sojuro III as Shigemori, and Ichikawa Yaozo III as Yoshibei, in the shosa " Fukyoku Edo Geisha

The Actors Sawamura Sojuro III as Soga no Juro, Osagawa Tsuneyo II as Oiso no Tora, Azuma... 1784
The Actors Sawamura Sojuro III as Soga no Juro, Osagawa Tsuneyo II as Oiso no Tora, Azuma Tozo III as Miura Katagai, and Otani Tokuji I as Danzaburo, in the joruri "Chidorigake Koi no Tamaboko

The Actors Ichimura Uzaemon VIII as Onio Shinzaemon and Onoe Kikugoro I as the courtesan U... 1744
The Actors Ichimura Uzaemon VIII as Onio Shinzaemon and Onoe Kikugoro I as the courtesan Usugumo in the play " Nanakusa Wakayagi Soga

A Banquet in a Pleasure House on the Bank of the Okawa (Okawa bata giro jo no yusen), c. 1792

Flower Viewing, 1711 (reprint of 17th century work). Creator: Hishikawa Moronobu
Flower Viewing, 1711 (reprint of 17th century work). Attributed to Hishikawa Moronobu

Two Geisha Holding a Shamisen and a Song Book, c. 1777. Creator: Kitao Shigemasa
Two Geisha Holding a Shamisen and a Song Book, c. 1777. Attributed to Kitao Shigemasa

After a little music, from an untitled series of 12 erotic prints, c. 1673 / 81
After a little music, from an untitled series of 12 erotic prints, c. 1673/81. Attributed to Hishikawa Moronobu

Perspective Picture of a Large Room (Senjojiki uki-e no zu), 1765. Possibly a scene in the pleasure quarters, with a shamisen and koto in the foreground. Attributed to Ishikawa Toyonobu

Courtesan Watching Her Attendants Playing with a Ball, c. 1765 / 70
Courtesan Watching Her Attendants Playing with a Ball, c. 1765/70. Attributed to Suzuki Harunobu

For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

The shamisen, a traditional Chinese musical instrument, has found its way into the hearts and culture of Japan. Geishas gracefully strumming the strings of the shamisen create an enchanting melody that captivates all who listen. In this captivating image, a Japanese geisha delicately plays the shamisen, transporting us back to the early 1900s when this beautiful art form thrived. Stepping into a bustling musical instrument shop in Japan, one can witness rows of meticulously crafted shamisens waiting to be played by skilled musicians. The triptych woodblock print depicting cherry blossom entertainment showcases the harmonious blend between nature's beauty and melodic tunes produced by these instruments. Intriguing glimpses into Japanese history reveal fascinating scenes from centuries ago. A traditional woodblock print portrays a female musician playing her shamisen while three samurai intently listen. As they enjoy her performance, a kamuro gracefully brings food on a tray, adding an element of elegance to this moment frozen in time. Traveling further back in time to late 17th century Yoshiwara reveals another facet of life where street scenes come alive with music and merriment. Hishikawa Moronobu's depiction captures the essence of daily life as courtesans play their beloved shamisens amidst vibrant surroundings. The legacy of the shamisen lives on through generations as it continues to inspire artists and musicians alike. Its timeless charm resonates not only within Japan but also across borders, leaving an indelible mark on cultures worldwide.