Tonkori

The Tonkori (トンコリ) is a Musical instrument resulting from the culture of the Aïnus, a minority Ethnie of the Japan. Left Cithare, the tonkori is a witness of the single cultural traditions of the Aïnus. The most famous player of tonkori is aïnu and names Oki Kano.

To create a tonkori

A tree is emptied to compose the body of the instrument, above which is attached a flat piece of wood. It measures between 70 and 150 cm of length and roughly 15 cm broad. One attaches 5 cords in general to it, but one can see some less often with either 3 or 6 cords.

To compose the body, one in general uses the spruce of Sakhaline, the Japanese yew or the Japanese magniolia with the white bark… For the cords, they are fibers of a variety of nettles (ezoirakusa, name Latin: Urtica platyphylla) which is narrowly twisted in only one wire, or then of the tendons of whales, stag or reindeer.

To play of the tonkori

The tonkori is carried and played by gripping the cords with the two hands but by taking care not to pose the fingers on the cords. It is a complex art which requires a great dexterity.

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