Men's prayer beads, Yakusugi 22 beads, malachite finish [Limited Edition]

Yakusugi rosary from Yakushima, famous as a World Heritage Site

Yakusugi is a 1000-year-old cedar that grows wild in the mountains of Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture, at an altitude of 500 meters or more.
The average age of a cedar is said to be 500 years, but Yakusugi is more than twice as old.
The famous Jomon cedar in Yakushima is estimated to be 7200 years old. Of course, Jomon cedar is also a _Yakusugi_.
By the way, cedars under 1000 years old are called kosugi.

Part of Yakushima is registered as a World Heritage Site, so Yakusugi is part of the heritage.
Only fallen trees are allowed to be collected and used, and these are men's rosary beads cut from such precious fallen Yakusugi trees,
made one by one by craftsmen in Kyoto.

Compared to woods such as sandalwood and zelkova, the attractive thing about wooden prayer beads is the beautiful, finely carved annual rings that attract the viewer.
Also, as with any wooden prayer beads, the more you use them, the more they will fit your hand and the deeper the color of the beads will become.
The longer you use them, the more interesting and enjoyable they become, and that's the good thing about wood.
You'll grow to love these prayer beads even more as your own possessions.
These prayer beads will have a more flavorful color to the fine annual ring pattern of Yakusugi.

Another feature is that wooden prayer beads are lighter and not colder than stone, although this is a matter of personal preference.
They are a weight that you won't notice when carrying them, and they don't feel cold to the touch like stone.
(Some people like the weight and coolness of the stone, so this is entirely a matter of preference)

And, among cedars, Yakusugi is a lucky material because it is the oldest and has the longest lifespan.
It is a popular gift for grandparents who wish for a long life, or as a gift for a son's coming of age.
Orthodox wooden prayer beads are easy to use in any situation, and are a material that can be used for a long time regardless of age.
It is also said that prayer beads can protect you from disasters even if you just hold them as a talisman, so
it is also recommended as a gift as a talisman.

The prayer beads shown here are made with malachite as the heavenly and parent beads.
Malachite is a popular natural stone characterized by its beautiful green color and stripes.
It has been known since ancient times as a stone to ward off evil spirits, and is said to calm the mind.

Product size
・Main ball: Approximately 2cm in diameter (malachite)
・Main ball: Approximately 1.2cm in diameter (Yakusugi) ・Celestial ball: Approximately 0.8cm in diameter (malachite)