Japanese Wind Chimes (Furin)
The Wind Bell or ‘Furin’ is a Japanese cultural icon. The distinctive quality of it’s sound distinguishes it from traditional western wind chimes. The Furin having a single, resonant sound that has been described as ‘clear, cool and otherworldly’.
The Furin’s sound is characteristic of Japanese minimalism.
The Furin is used in Japan in summer to suggest the coolness of a breeze and can often be seen in public spaces during the long summer months. Usually hung on porches or eaves it is a truly soothing and peaceful sound conducive to daydreaming or meditating, invoking a relaxing and near mystical feeling. It is an integral part of the Japanese landscape and cultural make-up invoking images and memories of summer for Japanese people.
The direct predecessor of the Furin is thought to be a category of bells known as Futaku (hanging bells). Buddhists attaching them profusely by the hundreds or even thousands to the eaves of temples, shrines, and pagodas, causing during breezy moments an almost overwhelming auspicious sensation of sound.
Details
Material: The Furin is made of cast iron and the ringer is made of a lighter aluminium metal for a better sound.
*Each Furin comes with a string and paper wind catcher which is interchangeable. The paper strip reads ‘Furin’ in Kanji which means simply ‘wind bell’.
*Made in Japan.