How to maintain and store your instrument

How to maintain and store Koto (13-stringed Japanese zither)

1:Daily maintenance
Wipe with a dry cloth, especially take care of the parts between “Unkaku” and “Ryukaku” (shown in Photo 1) frequently.

Insert a dry cloth from the gap shown in Photo 2 to clean the parts between “Unkaku” and “Ryukaku”.
Do not use oil to polish Koto because it may badly affect the sound of it.


2:Storing
It is the best for Koto to be kept laying flat. If there is not enough room to store it in an appropriate way, then it is still possible to store it against a wall (shown in Photo 3)with being aware of following rules.

*Humidity
Prevent Koto from being stored in any humid place because the wooden parts should get damp. Do not store Koto in a storage or garage outdoors.

*Hot air
Prevent Koto from being directly exposed to hot air such as from heater.

*Temperature differences
Temperature differences especially in winter should be avoided. Do not store Koto in a room in which any heating appliance is in operation so that the temperature differences from a ceiling to a floor become bigger.

*Inside of a car in summer
Do not leave Koto in a car under the hot sun, or the wooden parts should be steamed and the strings be deteriorated because of the extremely hot temperature.

*Long-term storing
Put koto out from a storing box occasionally and cover it with a cloth because it should be damp by humid air in the box when it is kept in the box for a certain period.

*Usage circumstance
Since Koto is designed to be played indoors, avoid using it outdoors especially in the rain.

How to maintain and store Shamisen (Japanese lute)

1:Daily maintenance
Wipe well both the neck and the plectrum with a dry cloth when you finish playing it.
Loosen all the strings at least once a month and wipe the whole parts from top to bottom. 
Do not touch the parts shown in Photo 11 when you put off the pegs to clean the neck because even a slight touch of skin oil can affect badly the attachment of the pegs.
Do not use oil to polish Shamisen because it may badly affect the sound of it.


2:Storing
Shamisen is usually kept in a special case for it. 

*Humidity
Prevent Shamisen from being stored in any humid place because the wooden parts and the pegs should get damp. Do not store Shamisen in a storage or garage outdoors. 

*Hot air
Prevent Shamisen from being directly exposed to hot air such as from heater. 

*Temperature differences
Usage of heater indoors or extreme temperature differences especially in winter should cause condensation. Also, condensation may be brought about by temporarily being stored in a cargo space in an aircraft. (See Photo 15) To avoid this, do not open the case until the surface temperature of the case becomes almost the same as the temperature of the air in the room.
Do not dry either the body or the pegs of Shamisen with hot air forcefully even though these parts get damp. That should cause each part to become unglued. 

*Inside of a car in summer
Do not leave Shamisen in a ar under the hot sun in summer. 

*Long-term storing
Put Shamisen out from a storing case at least once a week to ventilate inside of the box, because it should be damp by humid air in it when Shamisen is kept in the case for a certain period. 

*Usage circumstance
Since Shamisen is designed to be played indoors, avoid using it outdoors especially in the rain.

*How to wash a cloth
The cloth to clean instruments is washable. Dry it laying flat on a plate glass to stretch the wrinkles on it while it is wet.