Yamaguchi Kyūjō (山口久乗) was founded in 1907 in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, and specialises in orin (おりん) — the resonant bronze bells traditionally placed on Buddhist altars. Takaoka's casting heritage, designated by METI as a traditional craft, dates to 1609, and Yamaguchi Kyūjō has become the leading name in the field — their bells can be heard in schools, railway stations, and even aboard Shinkansen trains across Japan. In 2010, the company launched the Kyūjō Orin brand to bring the calming sound of these bells into everyday home life, beyond their original ritual function.

Each bell is cast from bronze at around 1,100°C, poured into hand-packed sand moulds, then filed and tuned by ear — struck, listened to, adjusted — until the tone sustains for up to a minute from a single gentle tap. This hand-tuning process is the heart of the craft: it is the artisan's ear, not a machine, that determines the final sound. Research has associated the resulting 1/f fluctuation — a natural wave rhythm found in ocean waves, heartbeats, and birdsong — with the promotion of alpha brain waves and a feeling of calm. The company received the Grand Prize at the Tokyo International Gift Show in 2010 for their Kyūjō Orin designs.

At iromizu, Yamaguchi Kyūjō's bells are at the centre of our Calm Interval collection — small, sculptural objects that fill a room with a tone so clear it seems to slow time. Strike one gently before meditation, yoga, or simply before bed, and let the sound do the rest. Discover them below.