A HISTORY OF BIWA
※1973年（昭和48年9月）に発行された小冊子「薩摩琵琶」より
The Japanese Biwa was derived, it is presumed, from West Asia, where its related instruments such as the Arabic Ud, the European Lute, end guitar are also to be traced back. Japan owes its direct introduction to China and Korea, where the similar instruments are called Pyiba (pi-pa),etc. When or more less related instruments are found in wide diffusion like here, it is interesting to notice that construction and usage of each instruments reflects some aspects of cultural values and musical ideas among each ethnic group. For instance, in China as many as 17 frets make it possible for a pi-pa payer to show his virtuosic fingering in fast passages , while in Japan , in contrast, the traditional Satsuma biwa musicians are often found engaged in subtle modification of a tone before it dies away by the use of lefthand finger techniques applied in the proximity of frets or bridges as few as 4 or 5.
Even inside Japan, there are variations of Biwa, supporting as many genres of music.
