This board was acquired from a Go and Shogi dealer in Tokyo. Their opinion is that it is the much-sought-after Hyuga-Kaya from southern Japan, probaby over 50 years old. It has been re-shaved and had a new lacquer grid laid so the surface is like-new.
The board is a single-piece of Kaya, cut in the Plain-sawn style (Kiura Itame). This cutting style shows off the endgrain where you will sit, so you can view the beautiful heartwood. This is an ideal cut when the tree is not large enough to be cut quarter-sawn style.
Kaya is quite dense, so at 16.8 kilograms it is far heavier than a board of pine or spruce made of the same thickness. It also carries a sweet scent particular to that type of wood. The board stands about 29cm tall with the legs on.
The legs are much darker than the board, and were probably treated with Tung oil over time but they are also likely Kaya or Katsura. The board itself was likely the same color, but it has been reshaved and had a new grid laid so the original color of Kaya is present. It has an especially deep navel.
The edges and corners are in great shape, as it is protected by a cloth cover and paulownia lid. These are also vintage items and will have natural wear and tear.
Shipping Details:
FedEx International Priority shipping from Japan (to almost everywhere) is already included in the purchase price. If you would like to Downgrade shipping to Japan Post Surface, that will reduce the cost by $150 but will be at your own risk - please contact us to arrange this (it is not recommended for a board of this stature). In either case, please allow one week for packing and Customs, then we will provide a tracking number from the shipping service that you can use to sign up for notifications.
