How to Select a Shogi Piece Box

What is a Shogi Piece Box

A shogi piece box is a wooden box for storing shogi pieces. In most cases, the shogi pieces are stored in a cubic or flat paulownia wood box at the time of purchase, but there are cases in which a shogi piece box made of fine wood is ordered according to the customer's preference.
The choice of wood material, color, and shape is also an enjoyable part of the process.

Value and Price of Shogi Piece Boxes

Shogi piece boxes are generally made of wood. Among the most popular and famous materials used for shogi piece boxes are Island Mulberry from Mikurajima Island, Black Persimmon, Yakusugi Cedar, and Zelkova. Some people also choose to have a shogi piece box made of the same material as the shogi piece stand.
Unlike the production of the shogi board, the production of a shogi piece box as a Shogi instrument is often made by a "woodwork craftsman" artisan.
The shogi piece box is made without using nails to prevent the shogi pieces from being damaged.
Some shogi piece boxes are made using techniques that show glimpses of the craftsmanship, such as "Sumimaru," in which the corners of the box are rounded, and "Tenmukuri," in which the top panel of the lid is finished in a gentle curve.
Sumimaru
Tenmukuri
When shogi pieces are placed in a shogi piece box as they are, there is a risk of scratching the shogi pieces or chipping the lacquer on the Moriage-goma (heaped-up shogi pieces) inside the box.
A shogi piece pouch is made of a slightly thick fabric with a drawstring strap attached. It is also used to carry the shogi pieces in a pouch when on the go.