Has anyone here devised a way to carry a shamisen on a bike?

General
#1

I’ve been interested in taking up the shamisen for a while now but money was always an issue. So I’ve recently purchased a shabo which is currently in the mail. My primary transportation around my town is a bicycle and I was thinking of maybe going outside somewhere to practice once I get started as my apartment can sometimes feel a bit claustrophobic.

Question is has anyone has figured out how to carry a shabo or regular sized shamisen on a bike without damaging it? I was thinking of maybe making some sort of bag I can strap on my back. Any thoughts?

#2

Hi Rachel,

I’d assume that the same ideas for biking with a guitar apply to shamisen. Put it in a case, and strap it down as best you can.

Outside of a mitsuori shamisen though… I’d be nervous. They break down far enough to travel easily, but using a long case, even if hard, just seems like a tragedy waiting to happen.

A shabo, light as it is, might be okay if tied down tightly to the bike or snugly to your back.

It’d still be nerve racking for me, but your mileage may vary.

Here’s a guitar based website that might tell you more

#3

Yeah although I have a rack on my bike and a basket in the front I think securing it to my back is the way to go if I’m traveling a short distance. When tourist season dies down the roads are quieter and I’d probably feel okay taking it to a quiet spot less than a mile away. It’s kind of an odd place here. Extremely busy in the summer, quiet in the fall and winter. I’d consider taking it to the beach if I wasn’t worried about sand. Thanks for the advice though.

#4

I suppose it depends on your carry method, or case. You don’t need a proper case per say (for example I use a small soft guitar case that doesn’t even fit the whole shamisen, haha), just something that will make it less of a chore to lug around.

Once you have that I’d probably work on first securing the shamisen to the case, be it with stuffing, straps, tied string or parachord, just something to minimize things from jostling around too much in the case.

After you secure it to its casing, find some way to secure the case to yourself (this where a soft guitar design comes in handy). The reason I would opt for carrying it on your back is because that way you can feel the motion of the case better, and adjust your riding style to get the best pace while avoiding too much shaking around. Your body should also act as a kind of shock absorber to avoid that same jostling, and of course having decent shocks on your bike would help too.

It’s risky business depending on your location, but its far from impossible.

Overall, just treat your instrument like a small baby-child. Take things slow, and always be mindful of the shamisen, and your surroundings. I actually wiped out really bad and fractured my radius the first day of my summer vacation cause I was going to a relaxing outdoor day. You can imagine how relieved I was have decided against bringing it out with me that day.

#5

I am pretty good in hauling things with my bike, but shamisen is just difficult. Even though I have a soft case with strap, it’s a poorly designed strap that cause pain to my shoulder.
The shamisen neck is long and somewhat fragile so one should definitely keep the instrument as straight on one’s back, so the shamisen wouldn’t hit on anything (i.e. tree branch).
The biggest problem I have is that the shamisen neck falls on my head while biking requires leaning forward, and I had hard time looking forward. The weird balance also cause the top part of shamisen to fall even more. I think it would be much better on a mountain bike than a roadbike.
So far I haven’t thought of a better way to bike with my shamisen… maybe be so kind of rig that hold it at an angle, so the shamisen will stand tall when I lean forward.

#6

It’d try either on the back, or along the top tube left/right. Luckily shabo doesn’t have proper tenjin and is mostly flat. Dou can rest on the rear rack, or can be carried separately. Backpack-style method has one downside - you might not be able to raise your head up, it’ll hit the tall instrument. Unless it hangs diagonally.
So far I have only tried carrying violin on the back and a long umbrella along the tube.

#7

In Japan there are actually special shamisen backpacks you can use. I have one for this very reason. I don’t know if you can order one where you live, but they’re not heavy and you can easily store it. Maybe someone here who is in Japan could maybe help to acquire and ship one to you?

#8

Chung Wan Choi,

as I am reading your comment I think I need to share a little trick with you.

I do have a mituori case but I only use it when I take the plane. I normally use another softcase to carry it around when I am in town.

In August, I was in Japan and I meet Reigen Fujii a few times. I told him about this very same problem: not being able to balance the weight properly and getting hit in the back of my head by the tenjin while walking with my softcase. And I thought it had to do with the adjustment of the straps.

His answer scared me at first. He suggested me to put the front part of my shamisen at the bottom of my case. But I did it because I trust him.

And it worked! My tenjin no longer hurt my head and the balance of my case is better than before.

I don’t know if I would find the courage to try rinding a bike with it but maybe it is just because my bike is too old and not in good shape.

#9

Sara Matsui-Colby I like the idea of a Shamisen Backpack. Is this similar to what you were talking about? https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/sonido/item/sh220-400-1002/

#10

This is exactly what I meant when I talked about my softcase.

#11

Yes, but mine has like a pleather exterior so it’s also waterproof. The one on Rakuten looks more like cloth so it might not be great in rainy weather- but you probably don’t want to take it out then anyway

#12

Technically, mine is waterproof too. But I never really wanted to test it. I guess if you really want to make sure, you could use some spray to make it even more waterproof. Like the spray used on boots or for tents.

But I guess no matter what you do, you will not able to prevent 100% sure that water is not getting inside by the zipper unless there is some material from the case covering it. I do think mine has an internal cover on it but I am at the office so I can’t really check.

#13

Here is what I use for getting around with a hard case. It’s very basic, but does the job. If you can sew a button on a shirt you can make this.
I bought 3 or 4 meters of flat nylon webbing and 4 quick-release buckles at an outdoors store (MEC in Canada carries this sort of thing). For the shoulder straps I used the legs of a pair of worn out jeans, filled with some padding for added comfort. I’ve biked all over Toronto and Kyoto using this and it works for me. In the rain I put a garbage bag over the case before I strap on the carrying rig. It sticks up about a foot or so above my head, so I do have to be careful in doorways.

#14

you could always make one your self or most likely modify an existing case so it can be straped to your back…or tape. highly effective tape.

#15

I have a backpack for the shamisen that breaks down in 3 pieces and it looks like a rectangular box with straps. I wish I could post a pic but I don’t know how to use Imgur.

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