This is the body (dou) of an Okinawan sanshin. It's a Toubara-made chiga, which is difficult to find these days, with the skin stretched over it. Both the front and back have beautiful scales. It's a single layer of genuine snakeskin. I purchased the sanshin from someone else and sold only the neck (sao), so the body remained. I didn't ask where the skin was stretched, so the shop that did the skin stretching is unknown. The tension is somewhat strong, perhaps around 80%. In recent years, snakeskin has become expensive, and the cost of a chiga (body) with skin stretched on both sides has become quite high. Toubara chiga are no longer sold, so if you're looking for one, please consider this.