Thank you very much for viewing. This reed is made from high-quality reeds selected from Udono, dried in the shade for about 1.5 to 2 years, and then smoked over an irori (sunken hearth) for over 10 years. It is a top-of-the-line reed that boasts both sound quality and durability. It's no exaggeration to say so. We also pay close attention to the cap, cement, and Japanese paper, using the best materials we have cultivated over many years. Please refer to past reviews of our reeds to understand their quality. I'll share a bit of information: While it's all called "sume-kake" (soot application), some methods involve applying soot with smoke from waste wood, fallen leaves, or using a smoker to artificially apply soot... and some apply soot for a few months or years. They are all "sume-kake," but what is the true "sume-kake"? It's not like that. The oils in the trees cut down from the mountains rise with the smoke and, over many years, coat the reeds, making them strong and resilient. As you know, shō (Japanese free-reed mouth organ), hichiriki (double-reed wind instrument), and flutes made from sumedake (smoked bamboo) are very valuable. In recent years, materials like sumedake are almost completely unavailable. In fact, materials that can be used for the main joints of the shō or the genuine sumedake used for the ryūteki (Japanese dragon flute) will likely not be available in the future. The real sumedake is bamboo smoked for hundreds of years. While you sometimes see shō and ryūteki made from bamboo artificially smoked in a smoker, they are, after all, just so-so instruments. People who have used reeds made with this much care, including repeat customers, have given us many enthusiastic comments such as, "What were the reeds I used before?" and "This is the first time I've used a reed like this... the tone is completely different!" If you wish, we can also accommodate requests for thicker or thinner reeds, so please let us know when you order. We finish the reeds so that even beginners and women can play them easily, but please be aware that they will not sound with a light or weak breath. "To produce a good sound and tone, it is important to blow with all your might..." as my teacher in the musical group says. The price of one reed is a bit high, but if you are not satisfied, we will handle returns and exchanges in any way. I am confident that you will be satisfied with these reeds, so please try them once. Thank you for reading this long text until the end.