602-BEGB-19 Traditional craftsman Biei made Honkuwa (Mountain mulberry) Go Bowls Super Extra Large for size 36 - 42 Go stones GKKWM-MR42-512-01F

Honkuwa (true mulberry) refers to Japanese-grown yamakuwa and has long been regarded as one of Japan’s finest traditional hardwoods.
Today, securing high-quality material has become increasingly difficult, and it is treated as a rare and premium wood.

■ Characteristics of Honkuwa
Honkuwa is dense, resilient, and highly stable, with minimal warping.
It is not excessively hard, yet possesses ample strength and excellent workability, making it well suited for precision turned objects and fine crafts.
The growth rings are relatively fine, the pores are evenly distributed, and the surface texture is smooth.
When polished, it develops a natural luster and a refined finish.

■ Color and Aging
When newly finished, it displays tones ranging from pale yellow-brown to bright golden hues.
Over time, it gradually takes on a deeper reddish tint, maturing into a rich amber color.
This beautiful aging process is one of Honkuwa’s greatest charms, developing greater dignity and luster the longer it is used.

■ Grain and Figuring
Typically, Honkuwa shows straight and well-ordered grain, but it may occasionally display beautiful figured patterns such as bird’s-eye, curly, or wave-like figure.
Sections with pronounced figure are especially rare and reveal a three-dimensional character depending on the angle of light.
Its appeal lies in combining refined elegance with subtle brilliance.

■ Uses
It is widely used for shogi pieces, piece boxes, Go bowls, high-end furniture, small boxes, and fine crafts—items that require precision and dignity.
Due to its hardness and strength, it is also used for items requiring durability, such as walking sticks.
Valued for both its stability and graceful aging, Honkuwa is appreciated for its practicality as well as its beauty.

Its elegant tone, developing luster, and rarity make Honkuwa one of Japan’s most distinguished hardwoods— a wood whose true value is appreciated more deeply with continued use.

“Moku” (figured grain) refers to distinctive and decorative grain patterns that appear on the surface of wood.
Unlike ordinary straight grain or annual ring patterns, figured grain is created by irregular structural changes that occur naturally during a tree’s growth, and is often described as nature’s own artwork.
Representative types include tiger figure, blister figure, burl figure, and bird’s-eye figure—each displaying unique expressions such as stripe-like patterns, bubble-like textures, or complex formations created around burls.

Figured grain cannot be artificially reproduced. Because it results from natural and individual growth conditions, no two patterns are ever the same, allowing you to enjoy truly one-of-a-kind beauty.
Its appearance changes depending on the angle of light, creating a sense of depth and dimensionality.
Due to its rarity and beauty, figured wood has long been prized for high-end furniture, musical instruments, tea utensils, and fine crafts. In the world of Go and Shogi, it is also used for boards, bowls, and piece boxes, adding special value to each item.
Figured grain, shaped by nature itself, brings unique character and refined elegance to wooden works.

Traditional Craftsman Biei was born in Gunma Prefecture into a family engaged in lathe-turned woodworking and has spent over 50 years studying and refining the techniques of lathe woodcraft.
Working daily with a wide variety of woods, he continues to produce high-quality Go bowls through skilled craftsmanship and careful attention to detail.

In recognition of his expertise in lathe woodcraft, he was certified as a “Traditional Craftsman” in 2000.

• Traditional craftsman Biei made Honkuwa (Mountain mulberry) Go Bowls Super Extra Large
  Product No.：GKKWM-MR42-512-01F
  Conformity Go stone for size：size 36 - 42
  Size：Go Bowl / Diameter About 170 mm × Height About 112 mm
  Outer box size: approx. 325 mm × 167 mm × 110 mm (H × W × D)
  Weight：Go Bowl / 1 About 770 g
  Total Weight / About 970 g
  
• 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 trees.
There may be some small flaw or scratch, dent, chipping.