Oldest “shogi” pieces date back to the late Heian periodThe game of “shogi” which has a very long history, is said to have originated in ancient India in its original form, and it’s not certain when the game came into Japan. There are several theories about the origin of the game, and some say that the game was brought to Japan in the 6th century. However, as tangible proof we have some “shogi” pieces from the late Heian period. |
How ”shogi” pieces are madeThe main material Sakurai uses to make the “shogi” pieces is boxwood. The same used in edo-style cabinets. These are cut into boards during the winter and dried. Then the good parts of the boards are cut out and used as pieces, with the characters written on them. Boxwood has even vessels and is easy to work on, and develops a nice luster with proper care as is evident in combs, making it the perfect material. |
Making the characters 3 dimensionalSakurai hands a piece to Nakata so he can experience carving and painting. Again, it was not a simple task. “Shogi” pieces actually are not that big. Carving kanji characters onto the pieces is a challenge in itself. Even using a piece of paper with the character written as a guide, it is very difficult. Layering “urushi” lacquer also requires very careful work. Being careful not to go over the line after filling in the carved character, Nakata somehow managed to paint the character. |
ACCESS
- Shogi Pieces Kazuo and Ryou Sakurai
- Tendo, Yamagata Prefecture