Changes

The strings are named ''wuujiru'' 男弦 (lit. "male string"), ''nakajiru'' 中弦 (lit. "middle string"), and ''miijiru'' 女弦 (lit. "female string"), with the "male" string playing the lower notes, and the "female" string being the one which plays the highest notes. They are wrapped around a set of tuning pegs (''karakuri'' 範) within an open rectangular area at the top of the instrument known as the ''chirutamai'' 糸蔵 (J: ''itokura''). These three large tuning pegs are used to tighten or loosen the strings in order to tune the instrument. Though some modern variations on the instrument, known as "peg sanshin," use pegs which can be screwed in along a groove, like guitar pegs, traditionally, the ''karakuri'' are simply carefully carved so as to fit tightly into the holes in the head of the instrument, a section known as the ''tin'' 天, or "heaven".<ref>O: ''tin'' or ''chira'', J: ''ten'', lit. "heaven"</ref> The ''tin'' bends gracefully backward at the top, and is wider than the rest of the neck. The strings, attached to the ''karakuri'', run through a small board (called a "nut" in English) which guides them to run straight down the neck of the instrument. The ''tin'' then narrows as it meets the neck, creating a curved bulging section known as the ''miruku mimi'' 乳袋. The strings then run along the flat, front, side of the neck, an area known as ''tuui'' 野, while the back side of the neck is rounded, and is known as ''tii atai'' 野丸. The neck then curves again as it meets the body, creating a broad flat space on the front known as the ''sun'uri'' 野坂, and a thick, bulging part on the back known as ''utuchikara'' 鳩胸. This broad section of the neck, known as the ''utudamai'', contains within it a thinner section, the "heart" or ''chiiga tamuchi'' 心, which pierces through the body of the instrument, and pokes out the bottom end (the "earth" or ''chii'' 地 of the instrument, in contrast to the "heaven" at the top). The strings are secured at their bottom ends to a set of threads known as the ''itokake'' 糸掛, which is in turn secured to this "monkey tail" (''mijiati'', 猿尾), the bottom end of the spike which pierces through the instrument.

The strings are named ''wuujiru'' 男弦 (lit. "male string"), ''nakajiru'' 中弦 (lit. "middle string"), and ''miijiru'' 女弦 (lit. "female string"), with the "male" string playing the lower notes, and the "female" string being the one which plays the highest notes. They are wrapped around a set of tuning pegs (''karakuri'' 範) within an open rectangular area at the top of the instrument known as the ''chirutamai'' 糸蔵 (J: ''itokura''). These three large tuning pegs are used to tighten or loosen the strings in order to tune the instrument. Though some modern variations on the instrument, known as "peg sanshin," use pegs which can be screwed in along a groove, like guitar pegs, traditionally, the ''karakuri'' are simply carefully carved so as to fit tightly into the holes in the head of the instrument, a section known as the ''tin'' 天, or "heaven".<ref>O: ''tin'' or ''chira'', J: ''ten'', lit. "heaven"</ref> The ''tin'' bends gracefully backward at the top, and is wider than the rest of the neck. The strings, attached to the ''karakuri'', run through a small board (called a "nut" in English) which guides them to run straight down the neck of the instrument. The ''tin'' then narrows as it meets the neck, creating a curved bulging section known as the ''miruku mimi'' 乳袋. The strings then run along the flat, front, side of the neck, an area known as ''tuui'' 野, while the back side of the neck is rounded, and is known as ''tii atai'' 野丸. The neck then curves again as it meets the body, creating a broad flat space on the front known as the ''sun'uri'' 野坂, and a thick, bulging part on the back known as ''utuchikara'' 鳩胸. This broad section of the neck, known as the ''utudamai'', contains within it a thinner section, the "heart" or ''chiiga tamuchi'' 心, which pierces through the body of the instrument, and pokes out the bottom end (the "earth" or ''chii'' 地 of the instrument, in contrast to the "heaven" at the top). The strings are secured at their bottom ends to a set of threads known as the ''itokake'' 糸掛, which is in turn secured to this "monkey tail" (''mijiati'', 猿尾), the bottom end of the spike which pierces through the instrument.

The body of the instrument, the ''chiiga'' 胴, is a rounded square wooden box, made of four sections of wood, and pierced through by the ''sou'', which extends a half-inch or so beyond the bottom of the instrument. A decorative cloth known as ''tiigaa'' 手掛 is wrapped around the body and secured with a number of tightly-knotted ropes. There are a number of different woods which are typically used for the body of the instrument, including ''inumaki'' (''Podocarpus macrophyllus''), mulberry, camphor (''kusunoki''), and ''iju'' (''Schima wallichii'').<ref name=museum/>

The body of the instrument, the ''chiiga'' 胴, is a rounded square wooden box, made of four sections of wood, and pierced through by the ''sou'', which extends a half-inch or so beyond the bottom of the instrument. A decorative cloth known as ''tiigaa'' 手掛 is wrapped around the body and secured with a number of tightly-knotted ropes. There are a number of different woods which are typically used for the body of the instrument, including ''chaagi'' (J: ''inumaki'', ''Podocarpus macrophyllus''), mulberry, camphor (''kusunoki''), and ''iju'' (''Schima wallichii'').<ref name=museum/>

Python skin is used for the skin of the body of the instrument, in contrast to the cat or dogskin used traditionally on Japanese [[shamisen]]. Though Okinawa is famous for the venomous ''[[habu]]'' snake, the ''habu'' is in fact too small for its skin to be used to make sanshin, and it is believed that the snakeskin for sanshin has always been imported from Southeast Asia. Though the pythons used to make sanshin skins today are not an endangered species, the difficulty of distinguishing one snakeskin from another makes transporting real-skin (J: ''hongawa'' 本皮) sanshin internationally somewhat risky. However, cheaper sanshin with plastic skins are quite common today as well. A small wooden or bamboo bridge, known as ''nma'' 駒, sits atop the skin.

Python skin is used for the skin of the body of the instrument, in contrast to the cat or dogskin used traditionally on Japanese [[shamisen]]. Though Okinawa is famous for the venomous ''[[habu]]'' snake, the ''habu'' is in fact too small for its skin to be used to make sanshin, and it is believed that the snakeskin for sanshin has always been imported from Southeast Asia. Though the pythons used to make sanshin skins today are not an endangered species, the difficulty of distinguishing one snakeskin from another makes transporting real-skin (J: ''hongawa'' 本皮) sanshin internationally somewhat risky. However, cheaper sanshin with plastic skins are quite common today as well. A small wooden or bamboo bridge, known as ''nma'' 駒, sits atop the skin.