Singing bowl / Bamboo

Product Description : Why is it so EXPENSIVE?

Product Story

General Product Information

Designed to look like bamboo, Singing bowls incorporate the simple beauty of nature and are characterised by their unique shape, which mimics the knots of bamboo. The Singing bowl symbolises the strength and flexibility of bamboo and is designed to blend naturally into a Japanese-style room. The exterior is based on the green and natural wood colours of bamboo, and its texture is finely finished to evoke the surface of bamboo, giving it a natural warmth both visually and tactilely.

Since its establishment in 1843, the Singing bowl has been dedicated to sound to this day, the fifth generation, without changing materials or techniques. The material is a metal called Sahari, an alloy of copper and tin.
Futakataya's Singing bowls are metal sounding bowls made from the same material as Sahari, a Shosoin treasure that has existed for 1,300 years.
Only one orion can be made from a single mould, and the entire process takes 180 different operations over a long period of time.
Singing bowls made by Futakataya are characterised by a sound that rises and falls with use over a period of five or ten years, and this sound is said to "cut off evil, purify the place and exorcise evil spirits".

*The sound is a delicate metal, so if dropped or subjected to a strong impact, it will crack and cease to ring.
*Wipe dry with a soft cloth. (Do not apply polish, cream, etc.).
*As they are all handmade, the sound of the same product may differ from each other. Please be aware of this beforehand.

 Product History

When did these crafts start to craft?：1400 years ago / 600AD / Asuka period in Japan

Tinware and tinsmithing techniques were introduced to Japan from China 1,200 to 1,300 years ago, during the Asuka and Nara periods. In the 17th century, many tin masters were active in Osaka and other areas, and the culture of tinware production flourished. In the Satsuma region, where tin mines were also developed in the 17th century, tinware production flourished under the hands of tinners. In the Kanto region, tin makers also developed their own tin culture.

Only a small number of people, the aristocracy, were the first people to acquire tinware. In the Heian period (794-1185), aristocrats used tinware as tea pots with excellent sealing properties and as drinking vessels at court. In the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods, tinware became popular among wealthy samurai and merchants as tea and sake containers. From the Meiji to Taisho and Showa periods, tinware became widely used in ordinary households, even though it was a luxury item.

Craftsman Story

Craftsman Profile

Futakataya
Singing bowl workshop established in 1843. Futakataya's Singing bowls are metal sounding bowls made from the same material as Sahari, a Shosoin treasure that has existed for 1,300 years.
Only one orion can be made from a single mould, and the entire process takes 180 different steps over a long period of time.
The process begins with the selection of the clay, the condition of the metal, the mixture, the temperature of the mould out of the pot, the timing of casting, the season, the weather, the humidity and the temperature - if any of these factors are missed, the tone will not sound.

Craftsman Passion

"The miracle of casual everyday life"
The lingering sound of Futakataya's Singing bowls, with their variously changing undulations, resonates as if it were calming the mind.
I want to gently accompany you as you rush through every minute of your life. Let the sound of the music give you time to heal your mind and change your mood...

Your Contribution to Craftsman

Customer Voice

Due to the market structure (link for full articles are attached bottom), craftsman have not known who the customer is and how customer reacts to their work. We made a “Message to Craftsman” box at purchase page. We will deliver all message to every craftsman. Our review will be also shared to craftsman so please leave your comment and evaluation on review section!

Income for Craftsman: Craftsman get only less than 10% of selling price?

As written above, craftsman have not controlled last phase of sales channel that resulting in selling price is set by third-party without craftsman’s recognition. There are some cases that only less than 10% of selling price is given to craftsman. We promise with our customer / craftsman that we offer the fair trade with craftsmen in our contract!

We made an article about above problem and our challenge. Please have a read from below link
Current state of the Crafts Market / Benefits brought by Suigenkyo

Measurement

Width：9cm
Depth：9cm
Height：5..5cm
Weight : 281

Material & Caution

Materials

Copper
Tin

Caution

Individual Difference

This product is one of a kind. Orders will be cancelled if the product is out of stock as it is also sold in our shops.