At a crossroads of multiple influence (Japan, China and South East Asia), the Okinawa archipelago (formerly the independent kingdom of Ryukyu) developed an original culture of which classical and courtly songs accompanied on the sanshin lute are a unique example. With participation of National Living Treasure Choichi Terukina, Shinjin Kise and Masaya Yamauchi. 'in their melodic approachability these songs sound neither remote nor exclusive'The Wire