The Japanese Wind Bell Shop

If you have ever been in Japan during the summer, there is no way you have not heard the beautiful, elegant and healing sounds of Japanese wind bells. Furin, literally meaning (Fu) Wind and (Rin) Bell, is one of Japan's most characteristic symbols of the Summer and hung outside many houses, shops and temples.  

Japanese wind chimes originate from a Chinese fortune-telling tool called senfutaku. This instrument was used to predict your fortune based on its movement and sound created by the wind and got introduced in Japan along with Buddhism in the Heian era (794 - 1185). At first, the 'futaka' were hung out on the corners of temples and noble families as the rumbling noise was believed to protect those within hearing distance from misfortune scare of evil spirits. The sound was much different of the Furin and the material was so expensive that most people could not afford them.  

During the Edo period, Dutch glass making techniques were to get introduced in Nagasaki and glass became very popular in Japan. Although at first very expensive, local craftsmen quickly mastered the art and started to create glass wind chimes that were now affordable for the common people. With this development, not only the material, but also the sound and design of the Furin changed and become much more gentle and elegant.