This goban is probably the curliest and densest Kaya board I've ever seen. At just 16cm thick it weighs over 19kg. It came to Baduk Club from an antique shop in Fukuoka, Japan.
The board is a single-piece, cut in a rift-sawn style (Oi-masa). This style provides outstanding dimenionsal stability, as the wood can expand evenly from side-to-side. The playing surface looks like a topographic map, with plenty of mountains to contest.
All those curves and wavy grains do come at a cost - on one side there is some separation in the wood where it looks like a branch intersected the trunk of the tree. We would recommend filling those gaps with beeswax and placing that side away from the camera during glamour shots. The board is very stable overall, but some small cracks do appear, including a small one on the playing surface.
The wavy growth rings are unmistakably Kaya, and it carries the unique sweet scent of that wood. Other high quality indicators are the raised lacquer grid (tachimori style) in excellent shape, precise pyramid in the navel, and pointed shoulders on the legs. The board is a standard size, 46cm long and 42cm wide.
Shipping Details:
Airmail shipping from Japan with FedEx International Priority is already included (no shipping fee at checkout). Please allow one week for handling, then we will email you tracking notifications.
