noun
position on the fingerboard (of a shamisen, koto, etc.)
Specific musical term referring to the correct finger placement on the neck or fingerboard of traditional Japanese string instruments.
三味線の勘所を覚えるのは難しい。
Learning the finger positions on the shamisen is difficult.
noun
Figurative extension from the musical sense: the most important or critical part of a matter. Often used in phrases like 勘所を押さえる (to grasp the key point).
Please explain the crux of the issue.
彼は仕事の勘所をよくわかっている。
He really understands the key points of the job.
Rare alternate kanji spelling. 甲 can refer to the shell of a string instrument, but this form is seldom used.
要点 is a more general and formal term for 'main point' or 'gist', while 勘所 carries a nuance of intuitive grasp or critical spot, often used in practical or skill-based contexts.
急所 literally means 'vital point' in a physical or martial sense (e.g., pressure point), and can also be used figuratively for a weak point or crucial part. 勘所 is less about vulnerability and more about the essential part to focus on.
Compound of 勘 (intuition, perception) and 所 (place). Originally referred to the positions on a shamisen or koto fingerboard that a player must intuitively learn; later extended to mean any crucial point.