A bachi is a rod-shaped tool used to pluck the strings of a stringed instrument. Shaped like a ginkgo leaf, it is used when playing the shamisen or biwa, and is characterized by the gentle tone it produces. In Nagareyama City, Chiba Prefecture, where a lot of shiny white oak has been harvested since ancient times, Ki Bachi production began at the end of the Taisho period (around 1920). Currently, Ki Bachi are only made by hand in Nagareyama City, and the only two specialized craftsmen, brothers, continue to carefully make them, preserving their techniques.