Tendo Shogi Craft
Tendo produces 95% of all shogi pieces in Japan — each piece hand-lacquered and inscribed by craftsmen using techniques unchanged since the Edo period. In spring, a "human shogi" tournament uses townspeople as living chess pieces.
2 hours
Museum ¥320 (adults)
Museum: 9:00–17:00, closed Mon; craft workshops: available by reservation
Year-round; April (Human Chess)
Tendo Station (Yamagata Line, 15 min from Yamagata)
Location
Why Visit
- 1
Master artisans hand-brush the two Chinese characters on each piece — a single craftsman makes 200+ daily
- 2
"Jinto Shogi" Human Chess in April uses players in period costume as living pieces on a giant board
- 3
The Tendo Shogi Museum lets you observe craftsmen at work and try basic lacquering
- 4
Custom shogi sets can be ordered from local workshops as exceptional Japan souvenirs
Local Tips
Tendo produces 95% of Japan's shogi (chess) pieces. The hand-crafting process (koma-tsukuri) involves over 30 steps and takes months for high-quality pieces. The museum demonstrates the craft with excellent displays and live demonstrations. The Tendo Sakura Festival (late April) features a human shogi match with people dressed as shogi pieces — one of Japan's most unique events.
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