510-SGK-11 Wood craftsman "懐志 / Kai-shi" made Kusu 【Camphorwood】Figured Go bowls for size 43 - 48 Go stones, GK-KS48TM-SB501

Camphorwood (Kusunoki) is one of Japan’s representative broadleaf trees, and has long been widely used for furniture, architecture, and traditional crafts.
As it grows into a large tree over centuries, it yields high-quality timber well-suited for processing, making it highly valued in many fields.

One of the most distinctive features of camphorwood is its unique fragrance.
The refreshing scent is pleasant and has been known since ancient times for its natural insect-repellent properties, which is why it has often been used for chests, cabinets, and Buddhist altars.

Camphorwood also has a bright, warm color tone and gentle grain patterns, which, when finished, create an elegant, calm, and inviting appearance. With an excellent balance of hardness and lightness, and outstanding workability, it is ideal for crafting furniture, utensils, and Go bowls.
As the years pass, camphorwood develops a richer luster, while its fragrance gradually softens, further highlighting the natural beauty of its texture.
For this reason, it remains a highly popular material, prized for its durability and long-lasting appeal.

Moku (Figured Grain) refers to the unique and decorative patterns that appear on the surface of wood.
Unlike ordinary growth rings or grain lines, these patterns are formed by irregular changes in the wood’s structure that occur naturally during growth, and are therefore often called “art created by nature.”

Representative types of moku include tora-moku (tiger stripe figure), awa-moku (bubble figure), kobu-moku (burl figure), and tama-moku (quilted or circular figure), each with its own distinctive expression—such as tiger-like stripes, bubble-like swirls, or the intricate patterns formed by burls.

Because moku cannot be artificially created and appears only through the unique conditions of each tree, no two patterns are ever the same.
This allows one to appreciate a one-of-a-kind natural beauty.
The way the patterns reflect and change under light gives them a sense of depth and dimension, adding to their appeal.

Due to its rarity and striking beauty, wood featuring moku has long been prized in fine furniture, musical instruments, tea utensils, and traditional crafts.
In the world of Go and Shogi, moku also enhances the value of Go boards, Go bowls, and piece boxes, making them truly exceptional.

As a natural pattern carved by time and growth, moku bestows wooden crafts with a unique individuality and distinguished elegance.

Long-established business founded in Kansei Era (around 1790)
"Kai-shi (懐志)", a long-established woodworking company, was founded in the Kansei era (around 1790).
When the company was first established, it made trays, wooden plates, and other tableware, but later, when it was commissioned to make Go bowls, it became a woodworking company specializing in Go bowls.
The word "Kai-shi (懐志)" expresses their desire to "never forget the techniques handed down from generation to generation and our sincere efforts to make Go bowls, and to carve our thoughts into our own bosom with high aspirations."
Currently, the fourth generation of the family, who has devoted 65 years of his life to making Go bowls, is devoting himself to making Go bowls every day.

The essence of "Kai-shi (懐志)" 4th generation's Go bowls making is to maximize the beauty of the material, wood, and to create Go bowls that combine practicality and artistry.
Facing each material one by one and checking the feel of it in their fingertips and palms, they transform the wood into a Go bowls.
And the proof of this is the engraving of "Kai-shi (懐志)" on the bottom of the Go bowls.

All the tools for making Go bowls are handmade.
All necessary tools are customize.
*Please check the photo images.

You can watch a video of Making Go bowls by wood craftsman "Kai-shi（懐志）".
Please take a look.
The video is available in the image list.

• Wood craftsman "懐志 / Kai-shi" made Kusu 【Camphorwood】Figured Go bowls for size 43 - 48 Go stones
  Product No.：GK-KS48TM-SB501
  Size：Diameter 150 mm × Height about 115 mm
  Weight：about 0.68 kg
  Includes a certificate of authenticity for the material, issued by the woodturning artisan, Kaishi.
• 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.
  

You may find small knots, burrs, rolled-in bark as all these products are made of natural wood materials.
There may be some small flaw or scratch, dent, chipping.