A big rare Edo period Japanese Temple Wooden MOKUGYO Drum used by priests/monks in local temple in Kyushu, Japan. In great sounding condition and patination, not to mention its humungous size enough to wake up all the spirits in meditation. Great for zen meditation practises and gatherings.

A wooden fish (Chinese: pinyin), (Japanese: mokugyo), (Korean: moktak), sometimes known as a Chinese block, is a wooden percussion instrument similar to the Western wood block. The wooden fish is used by monks and laity in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. It is often used during rituals usually involving the recitation of sutras, mantras, or other Buddhist texts. The wooden fish is mainly used by Buddhist disciples in China, Japan, Korea, and other East Asian countries where the practice of Mahayana, such as the ceremonious reciting of sutras, is prevalent. In some Zen/Ch'an Buddhist traditions, the wooden fish serves as a signal to start and end a meditation session, and in Pure Land Buddhism, it is used to chant the name of Amitabha.

There are two kinds of wooden fish. One is the well known wooden fish that is round in shape with scales carved on its top. In Buddhism the fish, which never sleeps, symbolizes wakefulness. Therefore, it is to remind the chanting monks to be concentrate on their sutra. The round wooden fish comes in many sizes, ranging from 6 inches to 4 feet.

The other is literally in the shape of a fish. It is found suspended in front of the dining hall of a Buddhist monastery. When having breakfast and lunch, the monks beat it to call all monastics and laity to eat.

Measurements: Height x Width x Depth = 30 x 24 x 28 cm

Shipping and Handling via EMS:
USA, Canada, Australia, Oceania. Middle East = $ 61
Europe, UK, Russia = $ 70