Ryukyuan music

thumb|upright=0.6|A sanshin The is a Ryukyuan musical instrument and precursor of Japanese (). Often likened to a banjo, it consists of a snakeskin-covered body, neck and three strings.

umbrella term that encompasses diverse musical traditions of the Amami, Okinawa, Miyako and Yaeyama Islands of southwestern Japan, also referring to the musical traditions of the ancient Ryukyu Kingdom