Talking about tuning can be confusing, but it’s actually much easier to figure out than it sounds!
A basic rule of thumb is that these three main tunings are all based off of the ichi no ito (thick string). Once you have set the key of the ichi no ito, it is set! No matter which tuning you choose (Hon Choshi, Ni Agari, San Sagari), the ichi no ito will remain where it is, you won’t have to change it again. What’s more, you can use that string as a guide to tune the ni no ito! (Middle string)