nntsuzu/KFTT huggingface dataset:
English: They are called 'hauta,' but they are different from Edo hauta (there are some numbers that incorporate hauta of jiuta).
Japanese: これを「端歌（はうた）」と呼ぶが、江戸の端唄とは別のものである（一部地歌の端歌から取り入れられている物もある）。
English: There were some songs composed not only by professional blind musicians but also by amateur music fans.
Japanese: プロである盲人音楽家だけではなく、素人の愛好家たちによって作られた曲もあった。
English: By the mid-18th century a large number of hauta pieces had been composed, mainly in Osaka.
Japanese: 18世紀半ばになると端歌は大阪を中心に大量に作曲されるようになった。
English: Koto Minezaki's 'Yuki' (jiuta) (Snow), written toward the end of the century, is famous as a masterpiece of hauta-type jiuta.
Japanese: 同世紀末に作られた峰崎勾当の「雪(地唄)」は、端歌もの地歌の傑作として有名である。
English: Other well-known pieces include 'Kurokami' (Black Hair), 'Tsuru no Koe' (Voice of a Crane), 'Kosu no To' (The Reed Screen), 'Ashikari,' 'Yukari no Tsuki' (Familiar Moon), 'Sode no Tsuyu' (Dew upon the Sleeve), 'Kiku no Tsuyu' (Dew on Chrysanthemum), 'Otoshi Bumi' (Letter Dropped on the Road), 'Nagoya Obi' (Nagoya Kimono Sash), 'Tsuyu no Cho' (Dew Butterfly) and 'Sode Koro' (Sleeve Censer).
Japanese: このほか「黒髪」「鶴の声」「小簾の戸」「芦刈」「ゆかりの月」「袖の露」「菊の露」「落し文」「名護屋帯」「露の蝶」「袖香炉」などがよく知られている。
English: The jiuta shamisen, so (koto) and kokyu (Chinese fiddle) were originally musical instruments in which the blind musicians of Todo-za had specialized since the early Edo period.
Japanese: もともと地歌三味線、箏、胡弓は江戸時代の初めから当道座の盲人音楽家たちが専門とする楽器である。
English: Music for these instruments, known respectively as jiuta, sokyoku and kokyugaku, was established and developed.
Japanese: これらの楽器によるそれぞれの音楽である地歌、箏曲、胡弓楽が成立、発展して来た。
English: However, during the Genroku era an ensemble of sangen and so (koto) was started by Kengyo Ikuta of Kyoto.
Japanese: しかし元禄の頃、京都の生田検校によって三弦と箏の合奏が行われるようになった。
English: Many of the songs that have been passed down to the modern age were composed using sangen, and the so (koto) was added later.
Japanese: 現在伝承されている曲の多くは三弦で作曲され、その後に箏の手が付けられているものが多い。
English: It is considered that jiuta was established as a sangen music, while sokyoku developed at about the same time or thereafter.
Japanese: 三弦音楽として地歌は成立し、ほぼ同時かその後に箏曲が発展してきたと考えられる。
English: However, 'danmono' of sokyoku had sangen added to it later, and there are other pieces in which kokyu music was added to sangen.
Japanese: ただし箏曲の「段もの」は後から三絃の手が付けられたものであり、ほかにもしばしば胡弓曲を三弦に取り入れたものもある。
English: An ensemble with kokyu also (koto) was frequently performed, and an ensemble of the three instruments of sangen, so (koto) and kokyu--that is, sankyoku--emerged, being known as the sankyoku ensemble.
Japanese: 胡弓との合奏も盛んに行われ、三弦、箏、胡弓の3つの楽器、つまり三曲で合奏する三曲合奏が行われるようになった。
English: At the end of the 18th century Koto Fujio of Owari composed many pieces to which verses from noh (classical Japanese musical drama) were added.
Japanese: 18世紀末には、尾張の藤尾勾当が、能の詞章を取り入れた曲をいくつも作曲した。
English: These are called 'utaimonno,' and pieces such as 'Yashima,' 'Mushi no Ne' (Sound of Insects) and 'Fuji Daiko' (Fuji Drum) are well known.
Japanese: これを「謡（うたい）もの」と呼び、「屋島」「虫の音」「富士太鼓」などが有名である。
English: Moreover, beginning in the Genroku era Handayu Bushi (a style of joruri created by Edo Handayu) and Eikan Bushi of joruri were added to jiuta.
Japanese: また元禄の頃から浄瑠璃の半太夫節や永閑節などが地歌に取り入れられた。
English: Furthermore, in the latter half of the 18th century Shigetayu Bushi was integrated into jiuta, and even the kengyo began to compose joruri pieces.
Japanese: さらに18世紀後半には繁太夫節が地歌に取り込まれ、検校たち自身が浄瑠璃を作曲することにもなった。
English: Concurrently, a genre called 'sakumono' with comical content was born.
Japanese: 同じ頃、滑稽な内容を持つ「作（さく）もの」と呼ばれるジャンルも生まれた。
English: It is called 'odokemono' (jokers), and examples such as 'Kyoku Nezumi' (Musical Mice) 'Tanishi' (Mud Snail) and 'Tanuki' (Raccoon Dog) have contents that feature animals that use their wits to overcome obstacles.
Japanese: これは「おどけ物者」ともよばれ、「曲ねずみ」「タニシ」「タヌキ」などの動物が主人公で智恵を絞って難を逃れる内容のものがある。
English: It has a strong narrative aspect, and because it uses imitative sounds it can be said that this a unique genre within jiuta.
Japanese: 物語性が非常に強く、擬音を用いるなど地歌では特殊なジャンルと言える。
English: Thus high-quality musical pieces were composed from the middle to late Edo period.
Japanese: このように江戸時代中期から後期にかけて、音楽性の高い楽曲が数多く作られるようになった。
English: Many pieces called tegotomono that have long instrumental sections between the sections with lyrics (called tegotomono) have been passed down.
Japanese: 手事と呼ばれる、歌の間にはさまれる長い器楽部分を持つ曲（手事物と呼ばれる）が多く伝承されている。
English: The person who perfected tegotomono was Koto Minezaki, who was popular in Osaka during the late 18th century.
Japanese: 手事ものを大成したのは、18世紀末に大阪で活躍した峰崎勾当であった。
English: However, he also wrote many pieces such as 'Zangetsu' (A Morning Moon), 'Echigo Jishi' (Lion of Echigo), 'Azuma Jishi' (Lion of Azuma) and 'Ume no Tsuki' (Plum Moon) in which the tegotomono is long and technical, and in which the shamisen is a featured instrument.
Japanese: その一方で「残月」「越後獅子」「吾妻獅子」「梅の月」など、手事を技巧的で長いものとし、三味線が器楽的に大いに活躍する曲をも多数作曲した。
English: His junior musician, Koto Mitsuhashi, is also known for composing 'Shochikubai' (Pine, Bamboo and Plum Blossoms) and 'Nebiki no Matsu' (Pine Seedlings).
Japanese: 彼の後輩である三ツ橋勾当も「松竹梅」「根曵の松」の作曲で知られている。
English: In or around the Bunka era, Kengyo Ichiura of Osaka changed the so (koto) ensemble, which had been played almost in unison.
Japanese: また文化_(元号)の頃に大阪の市浦検校が、これまでほとんどユニゾンに近かった箏の合奏を改めた。
English: This is called 'kaede shiki sokyoku,' and it was further refined by people such as Kengyo Yaezaki.
Japanese: これを「替手式箏曲」と呼び、更に八重崎検校らによって洗練されて行く。
English: Many 'kaede' pieces were written that differed from the original scores but with parts that had complex ensemble effects.
Japanese: やはり原曲と異なった複雑な合奏効果をもつパートである「替手」がいろいろ作られた。
English: Also, various ensembles developed along with the sankyoku ensemble, such as 'uchiawase,' which combined a separate piece that could be played together with the original number.
Japanese: また元の曲と合奏できるように作られた別の曲を合わせる「打ち合わせ」など、三曲合奏とともに様々な合奏が発達した。
English: From then on, tegotomono jiuta written in Kyoto was called 'Kyomono' or 'Kyoryu tegotomono' (Kyoto-style tegotomono).
Japanese: 以後京都で作曲された手事もの地歌を「京もの」「京流手事もの」と呼ぶようになる。
English: Furthermore, Kengyo Kikuoka (1792 - 1847) wrote many tegotomono pieces in Kyoto.
Japanese: さらに菊岡検校（1792年-1847年）が京都で手事物を多数作曲した。
English: For most such pieces, Kengyo Yaezaki (1776 - 1848), who was successful during the same period, wrote the so (koto) parts.
Japanese: それらのほとんどの曲には、同時代に活躍した八重崎検校（1776年-1848年）が箏のパートを作曲した。
English: These pieces developed as jiuta and sokyoku ensembles, and the golden age of jiuta arrived.
Japanese: 地歌・箏曲の合奏曲として発展し、地歌としても最盛期を迎えたといえる。
English: Other than that, Koto Ishikawa of Kyoto left pieces such as 'Yaegoromo' (An Eight-Fold Garment) and 'Shin Aoyanagi' (New Green Willow), which were extremely long and required very complicated techniques.
Japanese: 他にも、京都の石川勾当が「八重衣」「新青柳」など、非常に長大で複雑な技巧を尽くした曲を残している。
English: At this time jiuta reached the point in shamisen technique where no further improvement could be made.
Japanese: ここに来て、地歌はもはやこれ以上進む余地がないほど三味線の技巧の極致に達した。
English: It was from the Bunsei era to the first year of the Tenpo era that 'Tsuyama bachi' (Tsuyama plectrum), a form of plectrum still widely used in jiuta today, was invented by Kengyo Tsuyama in Osaka.
Japanese: 大阪の津山検校によって、こんにち地歌で広く使われている形の撥「津山撥」が考案されたのも文政から天保初年にかけてのことである。
English: He turned to so, which still had room for improvement, as opposed to jiuta, which had little room for dramatic development because it was already highly refined as a form of musical composition.
Japanese: 楽曲としての高度に発達を遂げて飛躍的な発展の余地が少ないと思われた地歌から、まだ発展の余地のある箏に眼を向けた。
English: Kengyo Mitsuzaki left traditional tegotomono jiuta masterpieces such as 'Sakuragawa' (Sakura River), 'Yoyo no Hoshi' and 'Nanakomachi.'
Japanese: 光崎検校は従来の手事もの地歌でも「桜川」「夜々の星」「七小町」などの名曲を残している。
English: However, in many of his original pieces he composed both the shamisen and so (koto) parts on his own for the first time.
Japanese: しかし、多くの自作品において、はじめて三味線、箏両パートを一人で作曲した。
English: Thus the parts became fixed but closely coupled, and the music reached a high degree of perfection as an ensemble form.
Japanese: これによってパートが固定され緊密化され、合奏音楽としての完成度が高くなっている。
English: This trend was passed down to his juniors, and similar works were created by Kengyo Ikuyama and Kengyo Yoshizawa.
Japanese: この傾向は後輩にも受け継がれ、幾山検校や吉沢検校なども同様に作品を残した。
English: Yoshizawa took one step further, and in numbers such as 'Tamakushige,' he composed the three parts of shamisen, so (koto) and kokyu by himself.
Japanese: 吉沢は更に進んで「玉くしげ」などにおいて三味線、箏、胡弓の三パートをすべて一人で作曲した。
English: Moreover, at the end of the Edo period jiuta became popular not only in Kyoto, Osaka and Nagoya but also in Chugoku and Kyushu, and numbers unique to the region were composed.
Japanese: また幕末には京阪や名古屋のみではなく中国、九州などでも地歌が盛んになり、独自の曲が作られた。
English: During the Meiji period sokyoku developed on its own, and fewer jiuta compositions were created.
Japanese: 明治時代になると、箏曲が独自に発展してゆき、地歌の作曲は少なくなっていった。
English: Obviously, jiuta composition didn't disappear entirely; numbers were written by people such as Takisai FURUKAWA and Shunei MATSUZAKA in Kyoto, Kagekatsu KOMATSU in Nagoya and Tokumoichi NISHIYAMA in Okayama.
Japanese: もちろんまったく作られなくなったわけではなく、京都の古川瀧斎、松坂春栄、名古屋の小松景和、岡山の西山徳茂都などが作品を残してはいる。
English: So (koto) was more receptive to accommodating the elements of Western musical scales and Ming and Xing-era Chinese music (as popularized in Japan before the first Sino-Japanese War).
Japanese: 西洋音楽や明清楽の音階の要素を箏の方が容易に取り入れることができること。
English: Compared to shamisen, which was musically associated with love and red-light districts, the sound of so was considered to match the bright, fresh mindset of the era.
Japanese: 恋愛や遊里色もある三味線に比べ、明朗、清新な時代精神に箏の音色が合致していると思われたこと。
English: A significant change that occurred in this period was the loss of musical activities that had been protected by a privileged system.
Japanese: 特権的な制度に守られた音楽活動はなくなったことは、この時代の大きな変化であった。
English: Particularly, along with the Ikuta school of sokyoku, it was an opportunity for jiuta to spread again to Tokyo and eastern Japan, where jiuta had lost popularity since the middle Edo period.
Japanese: 特に、江戸時代中期以降は地歌が盛んでなかった東京をはじめとする東日本に、生田流系箏曲とともに地歌が再び広まる機会ともなった。
English: There were many performers such as Yukiteru NAGATANI, Shunsho TOMIZAKI, Chikatoshi YONEKAWA, Satoko KAWASE, Eika FUKUDA, Hanatoshi KANEKO and Yukihiro NAKASHIO, who had moved to Tokyo from Kyushu, Osaka and various parts of western Japan.
Japanese: 長谷幸輝、富崎春昇、米川親敏、川瀬里子、福田栄香、金子花敏、中塩幸裕など九州、大阪をはじめ西日本各地から東京に進出する演奏家も多かった。
English: Once the period of the spread of exclusively Western culture was over, jiuta, along with sokyoku and shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute), spread throughout Japan to become home music, and they became popular.
Japanese: やがて西洋一辺倒の時期が過ぎると、地歌は箏曲、尺八とともに全国に普及した家庭音楽となり、広く愛好されるようになった。
English: Nevertheless, some jiuta-like numbers and pieces that used jiuta shamisen are created today by people such as Michio MIYAGI.
Japanese: 地歌的な作品、地歌三味線を使った曲は宮城道雄をはじめ、こんにちに至るまで少なからず作られている。
English: Furthermore, ensembles that go beyond shamisen music (such as Seiho KINEYA's 'Sangen Quartet' and 'Sonata for Two Kinds of Sangen' by Bondai FUJII) have been created.
Japanese: また、三味線音楽のジャンルを超えた合奏曲（杵屋正邦の「三弦四重奏曲」、藤井凡大の「二種の三弦のためのソナタ」など）も作られている。
English: It has become more common for sankyoku ensembles to use shakuhachi instead of kokyu so that they consist of sangen, so (koto) and shakuhachi.
Japanese: 三曲合奏は、胡弓の代わりに尺八を用いて、三弦、箏、尺八での合奏が多くなっていった。
English: Among the modern traditional forms of Japanese music they have the strongest instrumental ensemble aspect, and many are played in the ensemble fashion.
Japanese: 器楽合奏的側面が近世邦楽の中でもっとも強く、多くは合奏で演じられる。
English: There are various ensemble techniques, such as jiawase, danawase, uchiawase, honte kaede ensemble and sankyoku ensemble.
Japanese: 地合わせ、段合わせ、打ち合わせ、本手替手合奏、三曲合奏など、多様な合奏法がある。
English: Tegotomono, which has long instrumental sections, is played most often, and the repertoire contains many pieces.
Japanese: 長い器楽部を持つ「手事もの」が、もっともよく演奏され、曲も非常に多い。
English: Furthermore, depending on the piece, various shamisen techniques are employed, such as tonal ranges exceeding three octaves.
Japanese: また曲によっては3オクターヴ以上の音域を駆使するなど、色々な三味線の技巧が発達している。
English: There are many pieces that demonstrate Parnassian artistry in the form of pure music, having transcended the simple illustration of nature or the effusion of emotions.
Japanese: 単なる自然描写や心情の吐露の域を脱し、純音楽として高踏的な芸術性を発揮している曲も決して少なくない。
English: They make use of many ornamental techniques, such as 'suri,' 'uchiyubi' and 'otoshibachi,' which are portamento methods that make use of the resonance created by the left hand.
Japanese: 左手による、余韻を活かしたポルタメント奏法である「すり」、「打ち指」、「落し撥」などの装飾音的技法を多用する。
English: In tegoto, the sound form created by small, continuous and alternating up-and-down movements of the bachi is often used.
Japanese: 手事では降ろし撥とすくいを細かく連続的に交互に続ける音型が多用される。
English: Additionally, special techniques such as 'gyakuhajiki,' 'surite' and 'bachi keshi' are sometimes used.
Japanese: また、「逆はじき」「摺り手」「撥消し」などの特殊な技法もしばしば使われる。
English: As opposed to theatrical shamisen music such as nagauta and Gidayubushi, virtually no dramatic expression, such as a forceful slapping of the bachi on the strings, is seen.
Japanese: 逆に長唄や義太夫節のような劇場用三味線音楽のように、撥を叩きつけたりする劇的な表現はほとんどみられない。
English: Normally, the key changes to a dominant key or to a subdominant key, but in works by people such as Kengyo Matsuura unique key changes can be seen.
Japanese: 属調、下属調への転調が普通だが、松浦検校らの作品には特殊な転調が見られるものがある。
English: The tuning methods include the key of C, ni agari, key of G, ichi sagari (san agari) (one note below base tuning, three notes up from base tuning), honchoshi, ni agari, san kudari, roku kudari and taka san kudari.
Japanese: 使用される調弦法は低二上り、低本調子、一下り（三上り）、本調子、二上り、三下り、六下り、高三下りなど。
English: In long pieces, most often tuning takes place twice, but in many pieces it occurs three times.
Japanese: 大曲の場合はほとんど二回の調弦変えを行ない、三回変える曲も少なくない。
English: The purpose of tuning is to change keys but also to seek a change of mood through the use of resonance.
Japanese: 調弦変えの目的は転調のためと、響きによる雰囲気の変化を求めるためである。
English: Key of C - ichi sagari (san agari) - honchoshi - ni agari, in pieces such as "Shochikubai" and "Nebiki no Matsu."
Japanese: 低二上り-一下り（三上り）-本調子-二上り『松竹梅』『根曵の松』など
English: Honchoshi - ni agari - taka san kudari, in pieces such as "Shin Aoyanagi," "Sasa no Tsuyu" (Dew on Bamboo Leaf), "Uji Meguri" (Uji Tour) and "Nanakomachi."
Japanese: 本調子-二上り-高三下り『新青柳』『笹の露』『宇治巡り』『七小町』など
English: Songs are usually written so that one syllable is held long and the vowels have various melodies.
Japanese: 歌はたいていひとつひとつの音節を長く伸ばし、母音に様々な節をつけるよう作られている。
English: The melody of the song is based on the intonation of the dialect in Kansai, where jiuta originally developed.
Japanese: 歌の旋律はもともと地歌の本拠地であった関西方言のイントネーションを基盤にしている。
English: There is a bit of narrative in "Toru," but this is actually an addition of 'shiragoe' (plain voice) of Heikyoku.
Japanese: 『融』に少し語りの部分があるが、これは平曲の「素声」（しらごえ）を取り入れたもの。
English: Among the modern traditional Japanese music that uses sangen, it is unique because the performer sings as he or she plays the musical instrument.
Japanese: 三弦を用いる近世邦楽の中では、演奏者が楽器を弾きながら歌を歌うことも特徴的である。
English: Furthermore, because it was passed down among the blind people of Todo-za it was also called hoshi uta (because the blind people of Todo-za, such as the kengyo, shaved their heads and wore uniforms called 'kengyo fuku' resembling the robes of Buddhist monks, and therefore they looked like Buddhist priests; but in performances other than Heikyoku it is considered that they often dressed in a combination of a haori and a hakama with a family crest, as the formal attire of ordinary citizens).
Japanese: また、当道座の盲人たちによって伝承されてきたために法師唄とも呼ばれることもあった（検校など当道座の盲人は髪を剃りユニフォームが「検校服」と呼ばれる僧衣に近いもので、僧形であったため。ただし平曲以外の演奏は民間の礼服である紋付羽織袴が多かったらしい）。
English: After the mid-Edo period jiuta, sokyoku and kokyugaku, collectively called sankyoku, began to share common pieces for ensembles.
Japanese: 江戸時代中期以降、三曲と総称される地歌、箏曲、胡弓楽は合奏のために共通の曲を持つようになった。
English: Furthermore, after the late Edo period sokyoku, which until this point had developed as an addition to jiuta, began to surpass jiuta.
Japanese: また江戸末期以降、それまで地歌に便乗する形で発展して来た箏曲が、今度は先に立って発展した。
English: Therefore, numbers such as 'Rokudan no Shirabe' (Music of Six Steps), 'Hachidan no Shirabe' (Music of Eight Steps) and 'Midare' (one of the best-known classical works for so (koto)) are early sohonkyoku (numbers originally created for so (koto), but they can also be played in ensembles with sangen and kokyu).
Japanese: したがって、「六段の調」、「八段の調」、「乱れ」などは初期の箏本曲（本来、箏のために作られた曲、これらも三弦、胡弓と合奏が可能）である。
English: However, numbers such as 'Chidori no Kyoku' (A Song for Plover)' and 'Aki no Kyoku (Autumn Fantasy) are sohonkyoku ('Chidori no Kyoku' is also a kokyuhonkyoku (a number originally created for kokyu)) from the latter half of the Edo period.
Japanese: 「千鳥の曲」、「秋の曲」などは江戸後期の箏本曲（「千鳥の曲」は胡弓本曲でもある）である。
English: An extremely large number of songs exists for jiuta, and because of jiuta's long history there are pieces from various trends.
Japanese: 地歌は非常に曲数が多く、歴史も長いため実に様々な傾向の曲が存在する。
English: Therefore, the songs are categorized by various ways other than simply their musical forms.
Japanese: そこで、楽曲形式だけではなく、様々な切り口で曲種の仕分けが行なわれる。
English: For example, 'Shin Aoyanagi' is a tegotomono as well as a Kyomono and a utaimono, but it can also be counted as one of the Ishikawa no mitsumono (three songs composed by Ishikawa).
Japanese: 例えば「新青柳」は手事もので京もの、謡ものであり、石川の三つものの一つである。
English: Shamisen kumiuta (a group of songs created by combining several short, simple songs or a group of songs composed in such a way; this is the oldest group of jiuta songs that are currently passed down only in limited schools).
Japanese: 三味線組歌（小歌曲をいくつもつなぎ合わせて作った曲群、またそれに倣って作られた曲群。現在ではごく一部の系統にのみ伝承されている地歌最古の曲群）
English: Utamono (as opposed to tegotomono, this is a group of musical pieces that are only songs; if tegoto is included, then it's very short and the emphasis is placed on singing)
Japanese: 歌もの（手事ものに対し、歌のみ、もしくは手事はあってもごく短くあくまでも歌に重点が置かれた曲群）
English: Kigakukyoku (numbers that are played only with musical instruments but without songs; Danmono and kinutamono are also included)
Japanese: 器楽曲（歌が付随せず楽器だけで奏される曲。段もの、砧ものも含まれる）
English: Shigetayu bushimono (a group of pieces that come from joruri's Shigetayu Bushi, or those composed in that style)
Japanese: 繁太夫もの（浄瑠璃の繁太夫節から移入され、またそのスタイルで作曲された曲群）
English: Shishimono (a group of musical pieces that are majestic and gorgeous, and with 'jishi' in their titles; they all belong to tegotomono)
Japanese: 獅子もの（曲名に「獅子」の語が付き、荘重かつ華麗な曲調を持つ曲群。すべて手事ものに属する）
English: Tsukushimono (a group of songs in which the words consist of a string of specific kibutsu (bowls, containers, utensils or tools), utamakura (place names used in Japanese poetry, which have special meanings, moods, seasons or other references to history associated with them) or place names that are the themes of the songs; the titles usually end with 'tsukushi')
Japanese: 尽しもの（主題となる特定の器物や歌枕、地名などの名を連ねて一連の歌詞とした曲群。「何何尽し」という曲名が多い）
English: Danawasemono (among the numbers that have tegoto separated into multiple dan (steps), a group of musical pieces composed so that the different dan can be played together)
Japanese: 段合わせもの（手事が複数段に分かれている曲のうち、段どうし互いに合奏もできるように作曲されている曲群）
English: Uchiawasemono (a group of pieces that are usually performed different musical pieces together; it is comprised of a main piece and the other pieces composed as suitable for the ensemble)
Japanese: 打ち合わせもの(元の曲に対し､合奏できるように作られた別の曲があり､実際に異曲合奏で演じられるのが普通に行なわれる曲群）
English: It belongs to the chuzao (medium-neck) group, but the jiuta shamisen's neck and body are slightly larger than those of the medium-size shamisen of joruri.
Japanese: 中棹に含められているが、地歌の三味線は棹や胴が浄瑠璃系の中棹三味線よりもやや大きい。
English: However, there are few schools that use the yanagawa shamisen (Kyo shamisen), which is even slimmer than the narrow-necked shamisen.
Japanese: ただし細棹三味線よりも更に細い柳川三味線（京三味線）を使う流派も少ないながらある。
English: In a regular shamisen, the upper face of the neck gradually curves down to the area where the neck meets the body (this form is called 'hato mune' (pigeon breast)).
Japanese: 棹が胴に接するあたりは、普通の三味線では棹の上面が徐々にカーブを描いて下がっていく（この形を「鳩胸」と呼ぶ）。
English: The jiuta shamisen, however, has an upper face that is configured in such a way that it maintains its height until it meets the body.
Japanese: しかし、地歌の三味線では上面が胴に接するぎりぎりまで高さを保つように作られている。
English: This design enables high notes to be played, up to two-and-a-half octaves above the open strings (in other types of shamisen, one and one-fifth or one and one-sixth octaves).
Japanese: これにより、解放弦から2オクターヴと2度程度までの高い音を出すことができるようになっている（他の三味線は1オクターヴと5-6度）。
English: It is said that the person who invented this design was Yukiteru NAGATANI (1843 - 1920), a jiuta performer of the Kyushu school who was active in Kumamoto and Tokyo during the Meiji period.
Japanese: これを考案したのは、明治に熊本、東京で活躍した九州系地歌演奏家の長谷幸輝（ながたにゆきてる・1843年-1920年）といわれる。
English: High positions are often used in the jiuta numbers of tegotomono, and this design enables high notes to be played more clearly.
Japanese: 手事もの地歌曲では高いポジションをよく使用するが、これにより明確な高音が出せるようになった。
English: Those made with metal weights (gold, silver or lead) embedded in two sections on the back side (the side that's in contact with the leather) are often used.
Japanese: 裏面（皮に接する面）に金属のおもり（金、銀、あるいは鉛）を二カ所に埋め込んだものが多く使われる。
English: The amount of weight affects the sound, and therefore jiuta performers usually use koma of various types depending on the character of the instrument, the tension in the leather, the weather and the melody of the music.
Japanese: おもりの重さによって音色も変わって来るので、地歌の演奏家は普通、楽器の癖、皮の張り具合、天候、曲調などに合わせいくつもの駒を使い分ける。
English: In Kansai, a type of koma called 'daibiro' was often used; made of water-buffalo horn and without any weights, it was designed with a large base.
Japanese: 関西では水牛角製でもおもりがなく底辺の大きい「台広」といわれる駒を使うことが多かった。
English: As far as that point is concerned, it can be said that it's the most highly developed among the bridges used in the world's acoustic stringed instruments.
Japanese: その点において世界の弦楽器の駒の中でももっとも発達したものと言ってもよい。
English: From the part where there is a sudden flare, the plectrum quickly decreases in thickness and quickly thins toward the outer edge.
Japanese: 撥が先に向かって急に開くあたりから厚みを急に減らし、それから先が急に薄くなっているもの。
English: Because the plectrum has a large spread, the tip is sharp and has extra flexibility, and it is suitable for fine techniques.
Japanese: 撥の開きも大きいこともあり、撥先が鋭く、弾力性も増して細かな技巧に適している。
English: As the string is struck, the plectrum is made to touch the wooden case of the body so that the sound from the plectrum doesn't become too loud.
Japanese: また弾く時には、撥を胴の枠木の部分に当て、撥音を立て過ぎないようにする。
English: Jiuta is enjoyed as a pure music, focusing on the sound and savoring the quality of the sound within the room, instead of as an accompaniment to a play or a dance performed in a large venue such as a theater.
Japanese: 地歌は劇場のような広い場所での演奏でなく、また芝居や舞踊の伴奏ではない純粋な音楽として、音に注意を集中し、室内でじっくりと音色を味わうからである。
English: As for the materials, those made entirely of ivory are considered best, and they're called 'marubachi' (rounded plectra).
Japanese: 材質はすべて象牙でできたものを第一とし、それを「丸撥」（まるばち）と呼ぶ。
English: Of course, ivory and tortoise shells are scarce today, and consequently plectra made of synthetic resin are often used during practice.
Japanese: もちろん現在では象牙、べっ甲共に稀少品なので、合成樹脂でできているものを稽古に使うことも多い。
English: The word is often used to refer to zokuso (recently developed koto music) which is broadly divided into two schools, the Ikuta school and the Yamada school.
Japanese: 特に現代では近世に発達した俗箏による音楽を指す場合が多く、大きく生田流箏曲と山田流箏曲に分かれる。
English: Also, in some cases it refers to a genre of music including jiuta (traditional songs) which are often played in concert.
Japanese: また、よく合奏される地歌（地歌）も含めた音楽ジャンルとみなされる場合もある。
English: Modern Sokyoku began with 'Tsukushi goto' (a type of solo koto music) which was completed by Kenjun, a musician who was active from the end of Sengoku (Warring states) period to the beginning of the Edo periods.
Japanese: 近世箏曲は、戦国末期から江戸時代はじめにかけて活躍した賢順が完成した「筑紫箏」（つくしごと）を始祖とする。
English: Kenjun, a Jodo priest, mastered gagaku (ancient Japanese court dance and music) and Kayo (songs and ballads) that had been handed down to the monks of his temple, and learned how to play the Kokin (Chinese zither with 3000 year history) from Teikatei, a Chinese musician who was in Japan at that time; drawing on what he had learnt, he began making Sokyoku music.
Japanese: 彼は浄土僧でもあり、寺院に伝承される雅楽や歌謡を修め、また当時来日していた明人の鄭家定に古琴（きん）を学び、これらから箏曲を作り出した。