Shogi pieces craftsman "Sou-getsu 宗月" made Mikurajima-hon-tsuge (Mikura Island grown boxwood), Aka-masa (strong reddish color and straight wood grain), Ichiji-bori (Ichiji-bori script), Mori-age(embossed) Shogi pieces SHK-SG510-04

Materials : Mikurajima-hon-tsuge (Mikura Island grown boxwood) / Mikurajima is an island located in the central part of the Izu Islands (an area with many islands of various sizes) in Tokyo, Japan.
The quality of tsuge grown in the unique soil and climate is perfect for making shogi pieces.
Mikurajima Island is the most highly regarded tsuge producing area along with the Satsuma region of Kagoshima Prefecture, that produces Satsuma tsuge.
The hontsuge grown on Mikurajima Island is the best material for shogi pieces in terms of the color, luster, touch, weight, and texture of the wood.

Wood grain : Aka-masa (strong reddish color and straight wood grain) /
Aka-masa: Aka-masa, as the name implies, is a wood with the strong reddish color and straight grain.
It does not have the flamboyance of Tora-fu (tiger spots wood grain) or Ne-moku (root pattern wood grain), but it has the elegance of quarter-sawn grain, and its hardness and sharpness make it a popular choice for many people who prefer Masame to Mokume.

Script：Ichiji-bori /
Ichiji-bori is a carving technique in which each character is carefully engraved one by one onto the surface of the piece.
Rather than a “font,” it is a style in which pieces that are normally written with two characters—such as 王将, 飛車, 金将, 歩兵—are expressed with a single character: 王, 飛, 金, 歩.
Because of its excellent visibility, this style is often used in televised matches.
Its clarity and simplicity are key features.

By carving the dynamic strokes of brush calligraphy directly into the wood, the technique creates beautiful dimensionality through shadows formed by the carved depth and contours.
Ichiji-bori also plays an important role as a preliminary carving stage before finishing with lacquer or color, testing the artisan’s skill in carving depth, angle, and fidelity to the original brushwork.
The result is a warm, harmonious finish that blends the beauty of the calligraphic style with the natural texture of the wood.

Shogi pieces types : Mori-age(Embossed) / 'Mori-age-koma' is a piece made by filling the engraved characters with lacquer, and after drying and polishing the surface flat, finishing by using a brush to add more lacquer on top of the engraved lacquer parts to give slightly raised characters.
*You can view the shogi piece production process through the images provided.

"Fuji Koma no Kai" (Shogi Pieces Craftsman Association) /
The Shogi Craftsman Training Association is organized by "Fugetsu," a Shogi craftsman based in Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

"Sou-getsu 宗月" is a piece craftsman who learned piece making under "Fugetsu," a piece craftsman who is regarded as one of the top five masters of the modern age.

Komashi “Sou-getsu” is an artisan who pursues the creation of beautiful shogi pieces finished with techniques such as wiped lacquer (fuki-urushi), decorative embellishment, and maki-e, all designed to enhance the player’s enjoyment.
In exploring the question, “What makes a good set of pieces?”, he sought the opinions of various master craftsmen and professional shogi players.
This led him to focus on the sound of the pieces and the pleasant feel that fits naturally in the hand, ultimately devoting himself to the pursuit of “What is a piece that produces a truly good sound?”
He meticulously evaluates the raw piece materials from multiple perspectives—such as air-dry density, overall density, specific gravity, grain orientation, wood section, and weight—to select the ideal wood. By doing so, he creates pieces with an uncompromising commitment to the sound they produce when played, which has become the hallmark of his craft.

• Shogi pieces craftsman "Sou-getsu 宗月" made Mikurajima-hon-tsuge (Mikura Island grown boxwood), Ara-Masa, Ichiji-bori (Ichiji-bori script), Mori-age(embossed) Shogi pieces
  Product No.：SHK-SG510-04
  Shogi pieces in a paulownia flat box
  *Includes 2 extra pawn pieces ("amari-fu").
• 1,000 JPY flat rate shipping within Japan, free shipping for purchases totaling 20,000 JPY or more.
  Please bear the actual cost for shipping charges outside Japan.