Shamisen strings are sold as numbers like 15-2, and the number is not a product code. The first figure is the gauge; the second says which of the three strings it is. Once you can read that, ordering strings from outside Japan becomes straightforward — and, more importantly, you can tell whether a “shamisen string set” listing is actually for your genre.
How to read 15-2
- 15 — the gauge. Larger number, thicker string.
- -2 — the second string (ni-no-ito). -1 is the first string, -3 the third.
So a set is written as three numbers, one per string, and the combination is what identifies the genre.
String combinations by genre
| Genre | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nagauta | 15-1 | 13-2 | 13-3 |
| Jiuta | 14-1 | 14-2 | 14-3 |
| Kouta | 17-1 | 15-2 | 13-3 |
| Minyo | 17-1 | 13-2 (or 15-2) | 13-3 |
| Tokiwazu | 20-1 | 17-2 | 15-3 |
| Gidayu | Nakaguchi-1 | Nakaguchi-2 | Nakaguchi-3 |
| Tsugaru | 25-1 | 15-2 | 13-3 |
The pattern to notice: the first string is what separates the genres. Nagauta uses 15-1, Tsugaru uses 25-1. The second and third strings converge across several genres, which is why a generic “shamisen string set” can be almost right and still wrong where it matters.
Materials are chosen per string, not per set
The first string is silk. The second and third are chosen from silk, tetron, or nylon.
This is a practical decision, not a purity question. Silk sounds the way the instrument was designed to sound and wears out faster; tetron and nylon last longer and behave more predictably in changeable humidity — which matters more the further you are from Japan. Many players run silk on the first string and synthetic on the others for exactly that reason.
For how that trade-off plays out in practice, see How to Choose Shamisen Strings: Silk, Tetron, Nylon and the Gauge.
Ordering from abroad
- Know your genre before your gauge. The genre decides the set; the gauge is downstream of it. If you are unsure, see Minyo (Folk) Shamisen and The First, Second and Third Strings.
- Buy the first string in quantity. It is the one under most tension and the one that identifies your genre — a wrong substitute is most noticeable there.
- Strings are consumables. Unlike the instrument, they are cheap to ship and easy to stock. This is the one part of the kit where ordering ahead is genuinely worth it.
Sources. The genre-by-genre string combinations and the silk / tetron / nylon assignment per string: shamisen.ne.jp. Checked 2026-08-18. Combinations are a guide — teachers and schools vary, and your instructor’s preference takes priority. We do not sell strings.