What wood is used to make the Nafudakake?
Nafuda are traditionally constructed out of light wood such as fir or pine and remain natural without any form of stain or finish.
Soto Sabisu offer Nafudakake in a selection of lighter hardwoods, including Maple, Oak and Ash, you can select a contrasting wood for grade tags if you wish, Cherry is popular and we have also used Teak.
The frame can be manufactured from a choice of Black or Oak or a selection of darker hardwoods including Cherry, Teak, Walnut or even the exotic Zebrano at an additional cost.
Soto Sabisu can source your individual choice of hardwoods from anywhere in the world.
How are the names applied to the Nafuda?
The Nafuda are traditionally hand written with ink and brush, our Nafuda are custom machined in our workshop and the image of the Kana are applied using a similar process to vehicle livery.
This ensures that additional Nafuda ordered months or years later will match with your original commission.
You will enjoy the natural diversity of grain and coloring of the woods that you select, so each Nafuda will have its own character.
As a precaution we do not recommend that you place your commission in direct sunlight and that your Nafudakake is hung in a stable environment away from extremes of heat or humidity.
Do Sato Sabisu translate the names for me?
In Japan the Nafuda will display the Kanji that represents the student’s surname.
In the west it is customary to use our forename’s, so Sato Sabisu will translate both the student’s Forename and Surname into Katakana and also display the students name in English at the base of the Nafuda.
If you already have a translation for your name that you use, please forward it so we can use the same translation.
Soto Sabisu only translates into Katakana as both Kanji and Hiragana are unsuitable for translation of foreign names.
If you would like to include the Kanji for your Japanese based association and can supply a suitable graphic image of the Kanji we can also incorporate these into your commission.
Do you just supply Name boards for dojo?
At Soto Sabisu we also offer individual Nafudakake that come in a fixed frame. These make an ideal gift, to mark a significant grading. You can order individual Nafudakake in a number of formats.
What size are the Nafuda?
Currently we only produce Nafuda in one size – 170 * 61 * 12mm, when mounted in a kake the viewed dimension is 160 * 61mm per Nafuda.
So 4 off Nafuda in a fixed Kake would work out just under A4.
Your commission will be an investment in creating an air of additional seriousness and purpose to your dojo.
How much do they cost and what are delivery times like?
You are considering purchasing a "top end" custom built commissioned piece of art.
The Nafuda are hand made from selected quality Hardwoods from around the world and take approx an hour for each tile to produce.
We are launching a new simplified pricing structure for 2016, with prices starting from £20 per Nafuda and £23 including the frame. Full details are in the individual section and shop pages.
Whether you are selecting a Nafudakake for your Dojo, as a gift to mark a significant grading of an instructor / student or as a symbol of your love to someone special you will not be disappointed with your purchase.
Delivery times are approx 4 to 6 weeks dependent on the number of current commissions going through the shop.
For further information or to arrange a consultation please E Mail sotosabisu@btinternet.com
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