When foreigners buy Japanese musical instruments, there are instruments that are easy to buy and those that are not.
Easy-to-buy instruments include shakuhachi and shinobue. They are light and easy to transport, so even if they are imported from Japan, the shipping cost is not that high. Therefore, shakuhachi has spread more overseas than other Japanese musical instruments.
Difficult-to-buy instruments include koto. The transportation cost is so high that it cannot be compared with shakuhachi. Even if you carry it on board an airplane, some airlines may have size and weight restrictions on musical instruments. In addition, if you carry the instrument on board the plane, you may need to purchase a separate seat. Instead of buying it in Japan, you can also buy it from an online shop outside of Japan. However, if you transport it by air, the shipping cost is about $600 from Europe or America. If you transport it by sea, it can be transported for about $40, but it may take nearly 4 months from the time of order.
Even if you have difficulty challenging yourself with a koto due to transportation issues, shamisen and shakuhachi can be easily ordered from outside Japan. Even if you don’t know how to play after purchasing them, you can learn Japanese musical instruments online. We recommend shamisen-lessons.com. We sincerely hope that everyone will enjoy playing Japanese musical instruments.
Leave a review