Editing Kyushu (section)

=== Musical instruments ===
In Kyushu, there exists a traditional stringed instrument known as the ''[[gottan]](ゴッタン)'', which developed independently within the region’s unique cultural and geographic context. The instrument is considered to be a midpoint between the ''[[shamisen]]'' of [[Honshu|mainland Japan]] and the ''[[sanshin]]'' of [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]], incorporating characteristics of both. Structurally, it resembles the sanshin more closely—for example, it lacks the ''sawari'', a buzzing mechanism found in the shamisen. This absence, along with its simplified wooden box construction and single string, aligns it with the more minimalistic design typical of southern instruments.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-17 |title=鹿児島県・上甑島。島の小さな集落で、幻の楽器の音色に浸る {{!}} ブルータス |url=https://brutus.jp/kamikoshikishima_travel/ |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=BRUTUS.jp |language=ja}}</ref>

Musically, the ''[[gottan]]'' is sometimes used to perform melodies that reflect the Ryukyuan pentatonic scale, suggesting a subtle but notable influence from Okinawan musical traditions. While it remains a distinct and localized folk instrument of Kyushu, its sound and structure reveal traces of a broader cultural exchange within the southern Japanese archipelago, embodying a hybrid identity between the mainland and the Ryukyus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ゴッタン甑の会 |url=https://peraichi.com/landing_pages/view/koshikigottan/ |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=peraichi.com}}</ref>
* [[Gottan]] (ゴッタン)
* [[Sanshin]] (三線)
* [[Biwa|Chikuzen Biwa]] (筑前琵琶)
* [[Biwa|Sathuma Biwa]] (薩摩琵琶)
* [[Thuchibue]] (土笛)
* [[Iwabue]] (石笛)