Hi all,
I’ve buy a book of kyle abott “shamisen of japan”. It is awesome.
But I have a question for sao and saruo.
How much is width of saruo 3,5 cm or 3cm ?
Thanks for help
Hi Matthieu!
Glad you like Shamisen of Japan! 
Ah, good question! It is just as you wrote it. On average, the very top of the sao is about 3cm and the width of the sauro is about 3.5cm.
Keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be exactly 3cm/3.5cm wide. It really all depends on the maker’s tastes. Some makers make the sao 28mm wide, sometimes it’s 33mm wide. Likewise, sometimes the saruo is wider than 3.5cm, sometimes it’s narrower. Shape it however it feels best for you.
Have fun!
Hi kyle,
thank you for clarifying that will help me in building my tsugaru.
See you soon.