Tendo Shogi Pieces — Hand-Carved Chess Tradition

**Shogi museum workshops:** The museum offers piece-carving workshops (駒作り体験, koma-zukuri taiken) where participants carve a single shogi piece under artisan guidance (90 minutes, ¥2,000). You select wood blank, trace a character (usually 'king' or 'gold general'), carve with traditional knife, and apply lacquer — taking home a functional (though amateurish) shogi piece. The workshop conveys the difficulty of creating uniform, precise pieces — professional artisans carve one complete set (40 pieces) over 2-3 weeks. Reservations required via museum website. **Buying shogi sets:** Sets are graded by wood quality (tsuge boxwood is premium), carving precision, and character writing. Entry-level machine-carved sets: ¥3,000-8,000. Mid-grade hand-carved: ¥30,000-100,000. Professional tournament-grade: ¥200,000-1,000,000. For travelers wanting authentic Tendo craft without massive expense, buy a single decorative piece (飾り駒, kazari-goma, ¥2,000-5,000) — larger than game pieces, often featuring elaborate calligraphy, displayable as art object. **Ningen Shogi spectacle:** The festival uses a 17x17 meter board with 40 people as pieces, all wearing Sengoku-period armor. The match is choreographed (not a real game), demonstrating famous historical strategies. The 'pieces' execute movements with exaggerated samurai swagger. Photo opportunities are abundant but arrive early (9:00) for good spectator position — the hillside around the board fills with 10,000+ attendees. The festival coincides with cherry blossom season; Maizuru Park's 2,000 cherry trees create spectacular hanami backdrop. **Shogi culture note:** Shogi is far more popular in Japan than chess, with professional leagues, celebrity players, and television coverage. Learning basic rules (30-min effort) enhances appreciation of Tendo's craft culture. The Tendo Shogi Museum has English rule pamphlets and beginner boards for self-guided learning.