Fun Facts about Fulfillment Time

While Nitta san and I are the face of Bachido, we have several partners and suppliers who are involved in procuring the items for your order. Thus, while you’ve purchased everything in one order, you might receive several packages at different times (based on what you ordered). Why? Excellent question!
Shamisen accessories

You might find a message like this on the inside of your package from Bachido!

These partners live in different regions of Japan. Years ago, I attempted to have them ship items to each other in order to assemble everything in one box. However, this not only increased overall shipping costs, but the overall fulfillment time took longer, and sometimes wrong items would be shipped.

Thus, rather than combining everything in one package, it’s actually cheaper and faster for them to ship the items from their location direct to you. Here are the main partners and estimated fulfillment times based on the items they fulfill!

Most Accessories & Shamisen Sets2024-03-23T03:13:39+00:00

Masahiro Nitta
(Sapporo)

Nitta san and I met in 2006, where we developed an instant friendship based on our mutual love of shamisen and desire to make the instrument accessible to the world. (I was 16 and Nitta san was 22) Soon after I founded Bachido in 2011, we partnered to make shamisen (both instruments and gear) easily available to the world. He initially fulfilled orders from his bedroom, and now has a staff helping him prepare and ship orders to Bachido members as quick as possible!
 
Because Nitta san and his staff don’t have a warehouse, generally they will procure items from their trusted suppliers once your order comes in. For example, If you bought an assortment of accessories on Bachido, Nitta san would call his suppliers and request those accessories. Once the contents your order arrive at his office, Nitta san and his staff will pack and ship your order.

Estimated Fulfillment Time: 2 Weeks

Recent update: In order to shorten fulfillment times, Nitta san and his staff have begun to stock more items in their office, and so fulfillment time should lower to one week more often. :-)
 
Occasionally certain items will be out of stock. For example, if the supplier is out of Bachi, Nitta san might need to wait an extra week or two for more to be made. Although fulfillment time can be as little as one week, they request a generally estimate of two weeks to accommodate the time of waiting for out of stock items. If you notice your order is taking longer than the estimated time, please feel free write me (kyle [at] bachido [dot] com) to request a status update and I’ll contact Nitta san asap!
Raven, Starling, Akatsuki, and Rose Shamisen2024-03-23T03:11:44+00:00

Tokyo Wagakki
(Hachioji)

tokyo wagakki

Tokyo Wagakki is one of the last Japanese workshops making high-end shamisen, and is led by third-generation shamisen maker Katsuhiro Otaki. His family (Otaki) is legendary in the shamisen world for creating the best sounding dou (soundbox), and Tokyo Wagakki itself is legendary for their mirror-like polishing technique. (A difficult process which takes two weeks, and creates a mirror-like finish with no lacquer) Needless to say, we’re very fortunate to offer their shamisen direct from the workshop to your hands!
 
I was introduced to Otaki san via my partner Yanaka san’s father (who was an old-school maker legendary for his shamisen skins) in 2013. When Yanaka san’s father saw my homemade shamisen (#5 to be exact), he asked, “Would you like to visit a real shamisen workshop?” How could I say no!
 
Tokyo Wagakki never allowed public entry to the workshop before, so initially Otaki san had hesitation about me visiting. However, when he saw my homemade shamisen and book, there was an instant connection. And two years later, Tokyo Wagakki partnered with Bachido to make high quality shamisen, (some of which are so unique they aren’t even available in Japan!) This direct partnership allows us to offer their amazing instruments at a lower price than most shamisen retailers in Japan.

Estimated Fulfillment Time: 9 to 11 Weeks

tokyo wagakki

Tokyo Wagakki itself isn’t a retailer, and thus they only build shamisen when an order comes in. Quite often they can complete a shamisen in 9 to 10 weeks, and then my other partner Yanaka san will take 1 to 2 weeks to attach the skins and ship it to you.
 
Sometimes fulfillment time is a few weeks longer if they receive a surge of orders in Japan or a craftsman is sick. If you’ve been waiting for your Tokyo Wagakki shamisen, please feel free to write me after the 9th week and I should be able to provide an accurate eta!

Skin Replacement in Japan (Natural Skin / Hibiki Synthetic Skin)2024-03-23T07:05:52+00:00

Taichi Yanaka
(Ibaraki)

Taichi Yanaka

Although workshops like Tokyo Wagakki construct the shamisen frame, it is a separate craftsman who attaches the skin in a process called kawahari. Yanaka san is a master of kawahari, and when you order either a Beginner’s Shamisen or a shamisen from Tokyo Wagakki (Akatsuki, Raven, Starling, or Rose), he is the awesome person who both orders your shamisen from the maker, and expertly attaches the skins!

Shamisen retailer Kinji Katoh (of Shamisen Katoh) introduced Yanaka san to me in 2012. Because Yanaka san went to college at UC Irvine as well as joined his father’s shamisen business after graduating, we instantly connected on both California culture and our mutual interest in keeping shamisen alive and thriving.

He’s a wonderfully patient and generous friend, who shortly after we first met, even flew from Japan to California to help teach me finer points of kawahari! In 2014, we partnered to release the Beginner’s Shamisen (one of the first affordable shamisen at the time), and introduce the finest shamisen of Tokyo Wagakki’s to shamisen enthusiasts around the world.

 

Estimated Fulfillment Time: 2 Weeks

 

Yanaka san is very prompt with skinning, but he does go to Thailand for two weeks at the end of every month. So if an order comes around that time, please understand that it will have to wait until he returns to Ibaraki.
Shamisen of Japan, Lacquered Doukake, Elite Itomaki, All Shamisen Repairs2024-03-23T07:22:33+00:00

Kyle Abbott
(California)

Kyle Abbott

Reskinning a big pile of dou.

 

That’s me!

Estimated Fulfillment Time: 2 Weeks

Often I’m able to fulfill orders within 1 week, but sometimes life gets very busy, and so I set 2 week estimate so I don’t get stressed.

 

 

So that’s everyone at Bachido tending to the world’s shamisen needs! Quite a small team, isn’t it? We do our very best to ensure orders are fulfilled as fast as possible, but because it’s such a small team, please understand there might be a delay if, for example, Yanaka san is out of town for a week, or someone at Tokyo Wagakki is sick. To accommodate for this, and ensure trust and peace of mind, I am very prompt with replying to customer emails. If you have a question about the status of your order, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I will reply as soon as possible (often within a few hours, or a day if it’s especially busy). Though delays can happen, we are always here for you, and strive to make your shamisen journey as smooth as possible!

Masahiro and Kyle

Masahiro Nitta (right) and Kyle Abbott (left)

By |2024-03-23T07:55:00+00:00March 23, 2024|Shamipedia|0 Comments

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