1. Buddhist altars are used for holding Buddhist services, and they comprise a Buddhist image enshrined in a special stand. Nowadays in Japan, the term refers to the miniature household shrines in which Buddhist images and memorial tablets are placed. Reflecting the influence of India and China, the "Nihon Shoki" (Chronicles of Japan) suggested that all households should have a Buddhist altar.
   
   
2. The construction of Buddhist altars is not uniform and varies depending on the sect. Usually, however, the main Buddhist image is enshrined in the center and on either side are placed the ancestors' memorial tablets and images of the sect's founder along with other objects such as vases, incense burners, candlesticks and a register of the family's deaths. There are no uniform standards, but miniature Buddhist altars are gradually becoming more standardized.
   
   
3. Lacquered gold and precious tropical wood Buddhist altars are the two traditional kinds of altar, but new types have also appeared. Gold altars conform to the traditional pattern and are impressive, magnificent objects with lacquer, gold leaf, gold and silver lacquer, and fittings. There are two styles: the high-quality Mido style, and the impressive Sogon style. Japanese cypress is used for gold Buddhist altars, but the more popular products are mostly made of Japanese cedar.
   
   
4. Altars made of tropical woods are a simpler kind which began to gain in popularity from the 1910s. The main body of altars at the top end of the market are made of sandalwood, ebony and Chinese quince, while ordinary products are made of mulberry and keyaki (a type of Zelkova) used as imitation tropical woods. Altars made of tropical woods are strong and imposing pieces of craftsmanship. Materials such as sandalwood and ebony are frequently imported from countries in Asia such as Thailand and Indonesia.
   
   
5. The size of a Buddhist altar is expressed in terms of the width of the frame at the bottom.
   80cm for city models and 115cm for rural models are the standard sizes for Shin Sect of Buddhist altars, but recently demand for miniature models has grown and 67cm and 55cm models are now common. Standard heights are 185cm (W115cm), 168cm (W80cm) and 130cm (W55cm).
   
   
6. The best altars come from Kyoto, but the largest producer is Nagoya. Altogether there are fifteen areas of production in Japan, including Niigata, Shinshu Iiyama, Osaka, Hikone, Yamagata, Okayama and Tokyo. Altars made of tropical woods are the main type produced in Tokyo. Nagoya produces metal fittings, but most are standard punch- pressed products.
   
   
7. The quality of a Buddhist altar is determined by the materials used, and the craftsmanship of its construction, engraving, lacquering, painting and metal fittings.
   
   
8. Annual national demand for Buddhist altars in 1996 was 850,000 units. Demand for each type was as follows:

   Tropical wood altars	550,000 pcs
   Gold altars	150,000 pcs
   Miniature tropical wood altars (low-grade)	150,000 pcs

   A survey of the reasons for purchasing Buddhist altars in Osaka yielded
   the following results:

   First purchase due to death of family member	27.3%
   Replacement	21.1%
   For Buddhist service for the dead	11.7%
   Due to house construction/extension	11.3%
   Changed address	3.9%
   On advise of relative/priest	2.7%
   Other reasons	22.0%

   In 1994, there were approximately 750 stores selling Buddhist altars in Japan.
   

9. Altar imports started around 1970 with imports of parts from Taiwan. With technical assistance from Japanese altar craftsmen, the minimum of five years required to master the skills of lacquering, gold and silver lacquering, coloring, carving, painting and construction was completed, and imports of entire altars from Taiwan began. They then began to be imported from South Korea, and they are also now imported from China, Thailand and Vietnam. Imports from Indonesia are mostly altar parts.
   
   
10. Around 1978, Yamanaka Daibutsudo (a major manufacturer in Osaka) expanded into Taipei (Taiwan) and began production of Buddhist altars for export to sell in Japan. The company has even started production in Brazil to sell locally to Japanese Brazilians. There are a large number of other major altar dealers importing finished products or parts.
    
    
11. The volume of imports in the Osaka area in 1996 totaled 6,350 pieces

    Country	Imports
    South Korea	3,000pcs
    China	1,650pcs
    Thailand	1,200pcs
    Vietnam	500pcs

    The total volume of imports into Japan is unknown as there are no definite statistics on the subject, but it appears that imports of finished products are probably around 100,000. These are mostly small, easily produced altars. Without these imports there would, under present circumstances, be a shortage. The shortage of successors to altar craftsmen in Japan will continue to worsen, and with foreign producers making technical improvements, imports will probably grow further.

(b) Altar Implements ("Butsugu")

1. Wooden altar implements include "mokugyo" (a wooden instrument struck during prayers and chants), "nyoi" (an implement approximately 30-40cm in length carried by the priest during sermons), wooden bells, tables, canopies, miniature shrines and memorial tablets; metal ones include objects such as bells, candlesticks, incense burners and incense holders; and ceramic ones include small bowls and cups, flower stands and vases, and incense burners.
   
   
2. Superior memorial tablets are made of Japanese cypress (hinoki), although small pines (himekomatsu) and nettle tree (honoki) are also used. Nagoya is the main area of production, followed by Tokyo. Imported memorial tablets can also be found on the market.
   
   
3. Mokugyo are made by hollowing out a block of camphor wood (kusunoki), but other woods can also be used, such as nettle tree and Judas tree (katsura). Nagoya and Kyoto are the main centers for production.
   
   
4. High-quality bells and other musical altar implements are made in Kyoto, whilst cheaper versions are produced in Takaoka (in Toyama).
   
   
5. Ceramic altar implements are mainly produced in Seto (in Aichi) and Tajimi (in Gifu).
   
   
6. Plastic has recently been adopted for making parts and objects placed inside the altar, such as "rinto" (a kind of circular lamp-stand suspended from the ceiling), small pedestals for food offerings, incense containers and saucers, and this trend is likely to increase in future.
   
   
7. Wooden altar implements are mostly imported from Thailand and China.
   
   
8. Imports of altar implements are expected to increase even more in future due to the shortage of successors to craftsmen in Japan.
   
   
9. It may be added in passing that there are already considerable imports of wooden coffins from Taiwan and other countries.

   (All of the above figures were provided by the Osaka Shuukyou Yougu Cooperative. )

Note:

This description of the current market for products which were formerly considered to be purely Japanese, such as tatami mats, bamboo blinds, fixtures, household altars and altar implements, indicates that all these trades are suffering from a shortage of successors, and that demand cannot be met without relying on imports. This dependency on imports is likely to continue to grow, and anxiety remains over the future of the special skills and techniques needed to make traditional Japanese products.