Nanban Dora and Dora Flame Kuwairo

A traditional Japanese dora gong cast from a sahari alloy and suspended in a handcrafted wooden frame.

"Dora" are small metal gongs used mainly in the Japanese tea ceremony. The gong is hanging on a square shape wooden structure. The metal gond is made from a so-called "sahari", a carefully balanced alloy of copper, tin, lead, and silver. The metal mixture creates the gong's beautiful and meditative resonance.

Metal gongs were first used in music and to signal important events, such as military movements and ship departures. During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, as the tea ceremony developed, they became part of the practice. Hosts used them to signal guests to enter the tea room, and their deep, lingering sound helped create a calm, reflective atmosphere. Today, dora remain an essential part of all major schools of tea.

Dora are made using the lost-wax casting process. A core is first formed from clay and rice chaff, which creates tiny air holes when fired. Layers of a clay-and-sand mixture are then added and shaped into the gong's form. After drying, the surface may be carved with decorative details that also influence the instrument's sound. Wax is pressed into the mold, which is then sealed with another clay layer. Heating melts the wax away, leaving a hollow space that is filled with molten sahari alloy. After cooling for about an hour, the mold is broken open and the gong is removed. The artisan polishes the surface and may shape it further by hammering before hanging the finished dora in a wooden frame.

The traditional craft of making dora was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Heritage in 1955.

The gong comes in a paulownia wood box.

Place of Origin: Japan

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