The mokugyo, whose sound resonates with the chanting of sutras, has become a cushion that can be cherished in the comfort of your own home. Its soft and fluffy texture is hard to imagine from its tough appearance, and it has a perfect finish with a strong presence and a sense of dignity. Its large size was inspired by the large mokugyo found in temples. The design was supervised by Ichikawa Mokugyo Seizosho, currently the only company in Japan that produces mokugyo for temples. You can subtly feel the craftsmanship passed down through the ages, and the power that resides in the giant camphor wood that is used to make the mokugyo.
What is a mokugyo?
This Buddhist implement originated in the Muromachi period, when wooden musical instruments were used as a signal to gather the masses at temples. It is said that the prototype of the mokugyo is the "fish pole" introduced by the Zen priest Ingen, who came to Japan in the early Edo period. In addition to setting the rhythm by striking it during sutra chanting, it also serves to wake people up, and one theory is that the mokugyo resembles a fish because people believed that "fish that do not close their eyes when sleeping do not sleep." The "dragon head and fish body" design, which features two dragons facing each other, is based on the Chinese legend of the "gate to the dragon." It is believed that the ball held by the dragon represents worldly desires, which are expelled by striking the mokugyo.
Ichikawa Mokugyo Manufacturing
100% of mokugyo are made in Japan in the Owari region of Aichi Prefecture, and the company continues to specialize in making large mokugyo exclusively for temples. The current head of the Ichikawa Mokugyo Seisakusho, Kozo Ichikawa, is the third generation to inherit the Gyokusai tradition. A mokugyo is carefully crafted by craftsmen and takes more than ten years to complete, including the drying period for the wood.
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