Mokugyo Size. 8

Mokugyo an instrument of Soto Zen Buddhist or Rinzai (music that accompanies the liturgical texts Buddhist sutras). Some use it to make predictions.
It is a round wooden block (with more or less ornaments) that one strikes with a stick at a regular rhythm . It sometimes has the shape of a fish.

- size 8 approx. 25cm

- approx. 4kg

- with-Bachi (the stick to hit the Mokugyo) and a cushion

- wood: KUSU (Camphor)

-manufactured by order. (delivery about 2 weeks)

- hand-made at KATO Mokugyo Seisakujo in Nagoya.

Today, there are only 9 workshops that manufacture Mokugyo in Japan. The craftmen of the Nagoya area were specialists in the manufacture of MOKUGYO but because of the Chinese production, they are slowly disappearing.
Unlike Chinese Mokugyo, which are of poor quality and easily broken, the Japanese Mokugyo can be used for over 100 years without a change of tone.

The manufacture of Mokugyo is quite long: the craftsman buys large pieces of wood, cuts them and then dries them for 3 to 5 years.
The age of the wood varies between 50 and 100 years according to the size of the mokugyo (50 for those of small size, 100 for the largest ones).
Then, it cuts the width of the Mokugyo and lets it dry for another 3-5 years.
Then he digs the dried wood with tools for a few days, or months, to finally engrave it with several tools.
Once finished, the sound must still be checked and modified until it gets perfect.

** Possible to engrave one's name in the back of the mokugyo.