Glass Go StonesGlass go stones previously sold by Kiseido are no longer available because the company that manufactured them has ceased doing business.
When ordering kaya boards, please consult with the Japanese head office by However, this wood is much harder than katsura, so it is advisable toĪn exquisite 8-inch tenmasa kaya board, one of the finest in existence.Īlso shown is a set of Mikura Island mulberry bowls.Ĭlick boxes after prices for items you wish to order, then scroll to end, provide the necessary information, then click the "Submit" button. Since katsura trees have been overharvested in Japan, Agathis wood has recently been used asĪ substitute. Grain is almost always masame or tenchimasa, but the The boards initially look very nice and the It is a soft wood and, after a short time, small dents will be made by Shin-kaya, but it is a very inferior wood to be used for go boards. The surfaces are also prone to chapping or flaking.Īnother wood that is being used for go boards is spruce.
Shin kaya goban crack#
These boards have a strong tendency to crack and warp. However, these are not really kaya,īut a related species of kaya. Kaya trees are being sold at very low prices. Recently, both in Japan and in the West, boards said to be made from Chinese The yuki-grade stones are the appropriate ones to use with kaya boards. The cheaper jitsuyo-grade stones are more appropriate to use with Is advisable not to strike the board too strongly with them as the stonesĬould chip. If one wishes to use expensive shell and slate stones with these boards, it Moreover, because of the hardness of this wood, Katsura boards are always made with an itame grain and they lack the colorĪnd brightness of kaya boards. More abundantly available than kaya, and it is hard and durable. Traditional boards with legs and for folding boards). Katsura is the most widely used wood for boards in Japan (both for Trees have a closer grain and a more pleasing color. Most highly prized, in particular, the trees harvested from Mount Aya in Hyuga.īecause of the warm Japan Current, which runs past Miyazaki, boards cut from these However, it is the trees found in Miyazaki prefecture, Japan, which are the With age and they produce a lively click when struck with a stone. Other valued attributes of kaya boards are that their color mellows Besides theseĬharacteristics, the natural grain of the wood, defects in the wood, seasoning of the wood,Īnd length of time elasped since the wood was cut into a board, are all taken into account Straight across the top) and tenchimasa (grain running from the bottom to the topĪs well as straight across the top and bottom). Masame boards are further classified into tenmasa (grain running Two main types: itame (bent or irregular grain) and masame (grain running straight across Kaya boards are considered ideally suited to the shell and slate stones.Īfter being cut into blocks from trees over 700 years old, the boards are classified into Made from the wood of kaya ( torreya nucifera) or katsura (Japanese Judas tree).īoards made of kaya are superior in their color, brightness, and hardness. Traditional boards with attached legs are usually Shin'o Yugen, which mean `subtle and profound mysteries'. The scroll in theĬalligraphy by the Nobel Prize-winning writer Kawabata Yasunari. Photo shows an 8-inch thick tenmasa kaya board.
Special bargains for luxury equipment can be found at We can help you select the equipment most suited to your needs. Inexpensive sets to boards, stones, and bowls of exquisite quality, and Kiseido offers a large selection of go equipment, from