Designed by Hisakazu Suzuki
The Takumi Chess Set was overseen in its comprehensive design by artist and designer Hisakazu Suzuki.
This exquisite set combines the craftsmanship of TANGO metalworking, Kaga maki-e, and Echizen lacquerware, featuring intricate designs reminiscent of Japan’s Sengoku (Warring States) period.
Traditional craft techniques and modern artisanal skills merge to create a masterpiece adorned with precise machining, stunning lacquer finishes, and vibrant maki-e art.
The chessboard symbolizes the vast seas of battle, while the chess pieces embody the strength and elegance of Japan’s Sengoku era.
Each set is crafted by Hisakazu Suzuki and skilled artisans, achieving a quality that meets the standards of the global art collection market.
Special lacquer materials, combined with gold, silver, and platinum maki-e, elevate the luxurious appeal of the set.
Every piece is precisely finished with 5-axis linear-driven machining, featuring sharp and beautiful lines that are the hallmark of the design.
Perfectly finished from every angle, the set leaves no room for compromise in its meticulous attention to detail.
Important Notes
Each piece is handcrafted by artisans, and due to the uncompromising quality, production may take approximately 2 to 3 months.
Contents
- King (Black, Red): 1 piece each (W: 1.57 in × H: 4.33 in, 14.78 oz) (W: 40mm × H: 110mm, 419g)
- Queen (Black, Red): 1 piece each (W: 1.50 in × H: 3.86 in, 8.50 oz) (W: 38mm × H: 98mm, 241g)
- Bishop (Black, Red): 2 pieces each (W: 0.91 in × H: 3.54 in, 9.67 oz) (W: 23mm × H: 90mm, 274g)
- Knight (Black, Red): 2 pieces each (W: 1.46 in × H: 3.39 in, 10.19 oz) (W: 37mm × H: 86mm, 289g)
- Rook (Black, Red): 2 pieces each (W: 1.42 in × H: 2.95 in, 8.15 oz) (W: 36mm × H: 75mm, 231g)
- Pawn (Black, Red): 8 pieces each (W: 1.18 in × H: 2.64 in, 4.34 oz) (W: 30mm × H: 67mm, 123g)
- Chessboard: 18.50 in × 18.50 in × H: , 14.99 lbs (470mm × 470mm × H: mm, 6.8kg)
Includes a dedicated wooden box and a chirimen fabric wrapping cloth (furoshiki).
King (Black, Red)
The head of the King piece is inspired by a helmet (kabuto), while the body is adorned with armor and the jinbaori (a samurai battle coat) typical of Sengoku warlords. The design features powerful and majestic maki-e depictions of the phoenix, pine, and dragon, exuding both strength and elegance.
1 piece each (W: 1.57 in × H: 4.33 in, 14.78 oz) (W: 40mm × H: 110mm, 419g)
Queen (Black, Red)
The Queen piece gracefully captures the elegant lines of a kimono and the artistry of layered jūnihitoe. Its design is adorned with intricate maki-e patterns of butterflies, floral crests, wisteria, bamboo, chrysanthemum, paulownia, plum, and cherry blossoms, creating a beautiful and vibrant finish.
1 piece each (W: 1.50 in × H: 3.86 in, 8.50 oz) (W: 38mm × H: 98mm, 241g)
Bishop (Black, Red)
The Bishop piece is draped in elegant cloth, with its silhouette reminiscent of a robe. The maki-e design, inspired by a kesa (monk’s garment), is beautifully finished with peony arabesques and clouds. You can also enjoy the contrast between the patterns on the front and the sides.
2 pieces each (W: 0.91 in × H: 3.54 in, 9.67 oz) (W: 23mm × H: 90mm, 274g)
Knight (Black, Red)
The Knight piece is an essential symbol of the Sengoku era and a masterpiece to be proud of as a craftsman. Its ornate decorations, which once symbolized power and military might, are complemented by a maki-e design of a phoenix soaring through the sky, embodying the knight’s nobility, strength, and speed.
2 pieces each (W: 1.46 in × H: 3.39 in, 10.19 oz) (W: 37mm × H: 86mm, 289g)
Rook (Black, Red)
The Rook piece represents a unique symbol of defense and power in Japan. The special design of the castle tower (tenshukaku) is adorned with auspicious traditional Japanese patterns, including sayagata and diamond shapes, in intricate maki-e.
2 pieces each (W: 1.42 in × H: 2.95 in, 8.15 oz) (W: 36mm × H: 75mm, 231g)
Pawn (Black, Red)
The Pawn piece is an indispensable presence in the Sengoku era, embodying the proud spirit of guardianship for the King. Each piece is dressed in noble, exquisite garments, with different maki-e designs of cherry blossoms and autumn leaves, iris and chrysanthemums, bellflower and bush clover, and pine, bamboo, and plum. These patterns breathe life into the pieces, symbolizing their pride and elegance. (This particular set features the cherry blossom and autumn leaf design.) Listen closely, and you might imagine them speaking as you admire their poised appearance.
8 pieces each (W: 1.18 in × H: 2.64 in, 4.34 oz) (W: 30mm × H: 67mm, 123g)
Chessboard
The chess board represents a battlefield—our version transports you to Japan’s Sengoku period, a time of civil war in which samurai and their lords fought for control of the country.
18.50 in × 18.50 in × H: , 14.99 lbs (470mm × 470mm × H: mm, 6.8kg)
Metal Cutting
Our chess set is meticulously crafted with world-leading machining technology and by artisans with decades of experience and knowhow. Each piece is sheared using a precise processing program and simultaneously driven five-axis machining, leading to micron-level accuracy.
Top lacquer artisans
Samurai armor, katana blades, tools of war: traditional Japanese lacquer transformed these cold metal implements into graceful works of art. In the same way, top lacquer artisans transform our chess pieces into something only possible in Japan.
To take on the role of a Sengoku warrior, each piece is lavishly costumed and decorated in a way that fills the player with determination and enthusiasm. In creating such pieces, we have spared no expense, using the finest materials and craftsmanship, elevating our chess set to the level of art.
Manufacturing Companies
Hirose Industry co., Ltd. (Metal processing) Kyoto, Japan
Yamakyu Japanware Co., Ltd. (Echizen Japanware) Fukui, Japan
Product Design
Hisakazu Suzuki (Modeling artist, SPAZIO WORKS)
