This video blew my mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXnP6nQvMDQ
Watching this process is mesmerizing. There is no talking in the video but if you turn on the captions there is some sparse narration to help explain what’s going on.
From the YouTube description:
Marusan Hashimoto Co., Ltd., founded in 1908, is a long-established Japanese manufacturer of silk strings for traditional musical instruments. Based in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, they continue to handcraft high-quality silk strings using time-honored methods.
One of their most distinctive techniques is called “Koma-Yori,” a unique twisting process that produces uniform strength and beautiful sound quality. Their silk strings are trusted by professional musicians of shamisen, koto, kokyū, and erhu, both in Japan and abroad.
Even in today’s age of mass production, Marusan Hashimoto remains committed to craftsmanship that only skilled hands and eyes can achieve. In recent years, they have been expanding their international presence and promoting the beauty of Japanese musical culture worldwide.