Hand shaped Clamshell Go Stones by Designated Traditional Craftsman kurokigoishi

Hyuga City in Miyazaki Prefecture is Japan’s only production site of clamshell Go stones.
A special skill called “Te-zuri (hand-shaping)”, which is unique to this area, has been passed along by designated traditional craftsmen over generations.
As the hand-shaping method requires high levels of skill and training, it takes between 10 and 15 years to master it.
He relies on the feeling of his fingers and carefully listens to the stone’s polishing sound. This process breathes new life into the clamshell to produce Go stones of the highest quality.