A Japanese stringed instrument resembling a banjo with a long neck and three strings and a fretted fingerboard and a rectangular soundbox; played with a plectrum.

The shamisen is a 3 stringed Japanese instrumentis played with a plectrum called a bachi. Similar to a banjo in sound and construction style as well as how they are played.
Originating in the early 16th century and spanning onwards,
the Shamisen has been a prevelant instrument in japanese music.