Japanese Singing Bowls

If you think of Japan, the first thing that comes to your mind is not meditation. This spiritual practice has a long tradition there, mostly as Zen meditation or zazen. Japanese martial arts such as karate or judo are also influenced by meditation. The culture of meditation in Japan can still be seen today in the meditative tea ceremony, the use of incense sticks in everyday life and the art of making singing bowls. The Japanese singing bowl has been refined over the centuries. Today it is unsurpassed in sound and design.

Kaizen and singing bowls

Perfection is typical of Japan. It is not for nothing that the way of thinking of Kaizen (Kai = change, Zen = for the better) comes from this country, according to which all products, processes and procedures are to be constantly improved and optimized. The Japanese car manufacturer Toyota has successfully made it to the top of the world with this principle.  The philosophy of Kaizen is also reflected in the Japanese singing bowls (also called rin bowls), which are still traditionally produced in Japanese family businesses and smaller workshops and have been refined to perfection over the centuries.

Perfection in sound

It owes its long-lasting, even sound mainly to two factors: the professional production and the composition of the metal. The shell is machined from a single piece of metal, not beaten by hand. This means that there are no deviations or irregularities in the appearance that could affect the sound. The composition of the metal, which has a decisive influence on the sound, has been further developed and optimised over the years and is only passed on in the family. In this way, a consistently high quality result of the shells in terms of sound is achieved.

Japanese singing bowls in meditation

Their high sound quality predestines them for meditation, for which they were originally created.

1. They give off a bright, clear tone, which is well perceptible even in large rooms and free of secondary sounds. The larger the bowl, the deeper, longer and more voluminous it sounds. Also when rubbing, a singing tone develops which is almost free of rubbing noises. So there is no irritation by possible sound changes which could disturb the meditation.
2. Typical for Japanese singing bowls is their extremely long lingering duration of 1 to 2 minutes (other bowls often sound only half as long). The long eavesdropping of the sound helps in letting go, relaxing and sinking into meditation. The longer the sound can be heard, the better it succeeds. This corresponds to the principle of Japanese zazen, which aims to focus on the present moment.

Simplifying meditation with a singing bowl clock

If you do not want to strike the singing bowl yourself, you can have the singing bowl clock Anand or Mandala do it for you. With the interval or countdown function you simply select the times and start the clock. With this function you can devote yourself completely to sound and meditation and begin or end the meditation with the gong of the bowl, or listen to the bowl more often one after the other. Suitable bowls are for example the black shining Nara or the golden or black Shomyo with a diameter between 11 and 12 cm.

Why Japanese singing bowls are more expensive

The high quality has its price: Japanese singing bowls are considerably more expensive than bowls from India or Nepal. On the one hand, this is due to production in an industrial nation with correspondingly high wages and manufacturing costs. In addition, Japan has been closed off from the rest of the world for a very long time and trade is still not easy. Many manufacturers speak only Japanese and offer their products only within the country. Japanese singing bowls are not very widespread worldwide and are only offered in manageable quantities. Due to the high price, the demand is also lower than for bowls from India or Nepal.

Must-have for Japan friends

The singing bowls offer not only the highest sound level, but also joy for the eye and a beautiful haptic. With their incomparably noble optics they are an expression of the Japanese striving for perfection and aesthetics and also a beautiful decorative object without the practice of meditation. The clear and minimalist Zen style bowls are a must-have for Japan lovers and anyone who appreciates perfect design. Japanese singing bowls are always delivered with a small wooden bobbin and a decorative singing bowl cushion.  

Favourite Singing Bowls & Bestsellers

Our favourite bowl is the singing bowl Tang! The refined knobbed optic has something rustic about it and reminds us of the medieval times of the samurai. Its bright, bell-like sound is indescribable. The favourite bowl of our customers is the noble singing bowl Shomyo, with a pretty ornamental groove at the edge and beautifully swinging overtones. It is especially popular for the singing bowl clock Anand or Mandala. The extravagant NARA with its reflective surface is also one of the bestsellers.

Which Japanese singing bowls are there?

Even if some models of the Japanese bowls look similar at first glance, each model has its own sound and character.

1. NARA - Extravagant and noble design with mirror-smooth, anthracite surface. It has a wonderfully soft, round sound that stays in the room for a long time.
2. HIKARI - A small, almost delicate bowl with a shiny polished surface. The sound is like the outer form - wide and open. Also available as an inexpensive set.
3. SHOMYO - Noble, smooth surface and a slightly bulbous shape with a pretty ornamental groove on the upper edge. Its sound is soft with beautifully swinging overtones. Also available in black.
4. ZEN - Noble, smooth surface with an almost vertical shell wall with a high fundamental tone, which vibrates very expansive and rich in energy. Also available in black.
5. TANG - A real piece of jewellery: In the middle and lower area "nubs" protrude from the bowl and the upper part is provided with four gold shining ornamental grooves. Their sound is bright and bell-like.
6.  DHARMA - also in black. Clear and straightforward design in Japan's minimalist Zen style. Its bowl shape is slightly open to the outside, its sound is wide and expansive according to its shape.
7. DAITOKUJI - Temple bell with bulbous shape and warm, soft and bell-like sound, suitable for meditation and therapeutic applications.