Okinawa's snakeskin 'banjo' craft that stands test of time

Enormous python skins hang from a wire inside the sweltering workshop where Seibun Nakamine sculpts a piece of Okinawa's musical identity.

They are essential for the wiry 69-year-old craftsman who has spent nearly half a century making the three-stringed sanshin.

The snakeskin-covered instrument, similar to a banjo, sits at the heart of the subtropical island chain's rich musical history. Its contagious, twangy sound is a fixture at weddings, festivals, and other celebrations.