Furin: Japan's Wind Chimes and Summer Sounds

Glass or iron, a furin turns a passing breeze into a cool summer melody; here is its story, where to see it, and how to bring one home.

Published October 15, 2026 at 11:38 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: A furin is a Japanese wind chime: a small bell with a clapper and a paper strip called a tanzaku that swings in the summer breeze. Glass Edo furin come from Tokyo and iron Nanbu chimes from Iwate. The Furin Market at Kawasaki Daishi in July displays around 30,000 chimes.

The Sound of a Japanese Summer

Step onto a quiet street in Japan in July or August and you may hear it: a small, bright ting drifting from under someone's eaves. That sound belongs to the furin, the Japanese wind chime, and for many people it is as much a sign of summer as cicadas, shaved ice and fireworks. A furin is simple to look at, yet it carries centuries of history, a handful of regional craft traditions and a surprisingly big following among travelers.

This guide explains where furin came from, how the glass chimes of Tokyo and the iron chimes of Iwate differ, and why the sound is said to make a hot day feel a little cooler. You will also find the best-known furin events, practical advice on choosing and hanging one, and tips for getting a fragile chime home safely. Let's start with the origins.

Origins and How a Furin Works

The story begins in China, where metal bells were hung in bamboo groves and the way they sounded in the wind was read as a sign of fortune. The idea traveled to Japan, and by the Heian period the word furin was in use. Bells hung from the eaves of Buddhist temples as talismans meant to keep evil spirits away, and wealthy households later borrowed the custom for their own porches.

For a long time furin were made mostly of bronze and copper. Glass arrived later, during the Edo period (1603 to 1868), helped by glassmaking knowledge that came through the port city of Nagasaki. Early hand-blown glass was costly, so the first glass chimes were mainly enjoyed by feudal lords and prosperous merchants. As manufacturing improved in later eras, glass furin became affordable for ordinary homes, and today glass is the most popular material of all.

The cooling idea has deep roots too. Many people in Japan hear the chime and see the fluttering paper strip as refreshing, and this association is said to go back to the Edo period. Long before air conditioning, a furin was a small, charming way to feel a breath of relief in the humid season.

A traditional furin has three parts. The body, usually a small bowl or bell shape, is the part that rings or houses the sound. Inside hangs a clapper, called a zetsu (literally a tongue), and below it dangles a thin paper strip called a tanzaku. When even a slight breeze catches the strip, it swings the clapper against the body and the chime sounds. The strip also makes the wind visible, which is part of the charm: you see the breeze and hear it at the same moment.

Different materials give different voices. Glass chimes tend to sound light and gentle, a soft ding that fades quickly. Metal chimes have their own voices, and Nanbu iron chimes are known for a clear, high tone. Because the sound depends on the shape, the thickness and the clapper, two chimes that look similar may feel quite different once they are hanging in the wind.

The tanzaku is more than a clapper's helper. Many furin carry a paper strip printed with a seasonal design, and at some shrines visitors write a wish on one so the wind carries it away. That tradition leads neatly into the festivals, but first it is worth meeting the two most famous craft styles.

Edo Furin and Nanbu Iron Chimes

Edo furin is the name for hand-blown glass chimes made in Tokyo, whose old name was Edo. The glass is blown by a craftsperson without a mold, and the delicate designs, often flowers, goldfish or seasonal scenes, are painted on from the inside so the artwork does not rub off. The clear, round shape looks a little like a floating bubble. The name Edo furin was adopted around the 1960s for chimes made in Tokyo, and a family workshop in Edogawa Ward is among the best-known makers.

Nanbu iron chimes come from Iwate Prefecture in the Tohoku region, where ironware has been made for centuries. The craft takes its name from the old Nanbu domain, and its best-known products are cast iron kettles for tea. Wind chimes are among the decorative pieces made with the same casting skills, and they are known for a clear, ringing tone that suits temple-like settings. Morioka and Oshu, two Iwate cities, both have ironware traditions, and visitors can see the craft at local museums.

Japan has many more regional styles. Takaoka in Toyama Prefecture is known for brass chimes, Okinawa for bubbly, colorful Ryukyu glass, and Imari in Saga Prefecture for porcelain. If you collect furin, a single trip across the country could build a small family of very different sounds.

Famous Furin Markets and Festivals

Every summer, several places turn furin into an event. The Furin Market at Kawasaki Daishi (the Shingon Buddhist temple Heiken-ji in Kawasaki, Kanagawa) is held in July and is famous for its scale, with around 30,000 chimes in about 900 varieties collected from across Japan. The temple is roughly an eight-minute walk from Kawasaki Daishi Station on the Keikyu Daishi Line, which makes it a convenient half-day trip from Tokyo.

Another favorite is Enmusubi Furin at Hikawa Shrine in Kawagoe, Saitama. Enmusubi means tying good connections, often in love, and visitors can write wishes on tanzaku and hang them from Edo-style glass chimes. A corridor of chimes beside the main hall, a lit stream and glowing bamboo balls make evening visits especially atmospheric. The event usually runs from late June into early September, and the shrine's official site says the chimes and the stream are lit until around eight in the evening. Kawagoe Station and Hon-Kawagoe Station are the nearest stops.

Opening dates change from year to year, so check the official page of any event before you set out.

Choosing, Hanging and Packing a Furin

Start with the sound, listening in the shop if you can. Think about where it will hang: a delicate glass chime suits a sheltered balcony, while a small iron chime can feel at home near a doorway. If you live in an apartment and worry about noise, indoor models on a desk stand exist for exactly that reason, and they are easy to enjoy on a bookshelf.

When hanging a chime, pick a spot with a little airflow but not a gale. An eave, a hook by a window or a balcony rail all work well. Glass chimes can be tricky to attach because the body must be threaded onto its string, so take a moment to look at how the shop hangs the display model. Keep the tanzaku free so it can move, and avoid hanging a chime where it will bump against a wall or hard rail.

Etiquette is mostly common sense. At shrines and temples, the furin are part of the grounds, so do not touch them, tug the strips or take a chime from a display. Treat wish tanzaku with respect by writing clearly and tying them where staff direct you. Because chimes ring as the breeze passes, keep your voice low near them, and if you photograph, be mindful of others who stop to listen.

A furin is light but fragile, and glass is the part most at risk. The simplest approach is to carry it in your hand luggage, wrapped in soft clothing inside a sturdy box, rather than trusting a checked bag. Remove or secure the clapper and tanzaku so they do not rattle against the glass. It is worth asking shop staff to pack the chime with extra cushioning.

Iron chimes are tougher, but their weight can add up if you buy several, and you may want to shield any painted or lacquered details from scratches. If you plan to mail a chime, ask the shop whether they can ship it for you, since sellers who handle chimes regularly tend to pack them well. Whichever method you choose, keep a spare string or hook in your bag so you can hang the chime soon after you arrive home.

Finally, treat your furin as a seasonal treasure. In Japan it is common to hang one when the weather warms and to take it down when summer ends, though some people enjoy a chime all year long. Storing the chime in a dry place with its box and strip keeps it ready for the next season.

Quick Takeaways

A furin is a small bell with a long story: it started as a protective talisman, grew into a refined summer craft and now sits in homes and shrine grounds across Japan. Glass Edo furin are hand-blown in Tokyo and painted from the inside, while Nanbu furin from Iwate show off the region's ironwork. Summer markets at Kawasaki Daishi and Hikawa Shrine in Kawagoe let you hear thousands of tones in one place. When you pick one, listen first, choose a sheltered spot to hang it, and wrap it carefully for the trip home.

However you meet them, furin are a lovely reminder that Japan enjoys small, seasonal pleasures. A cool glass bell moving in a warm breeze may be one of the simplest and most memorable souvenirs you can bring back.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a furin wind chime work?

A traditional furin has three parts: the body, a clapper called a zetsu (literally a tongue), and a thin paper strip called a tanzaku. When even a slight breeze catches the strip, it swings the clapper against the body and the chime sounds. The strip also makes the wind visible.

What is the difference between Edo furin and Nanbu iron chimes?

Edo furin are hand-blown glass chimes made in Tokyo without a mold, with designs painted on from the inside so the artwork does not rub off. Nanbu iron chimes come from Iwate Prefecture, where ironware has been made for centuries, and are known for a clear, high tone.

Where can you see furin in summer in Japan?

The Furin Market at Kawasaki Daishi is held in July and features around 30,000 chimes in about 900 varieties. Enmusubi Furin at Hikawa Shrine in Kawagoe, Saitama, usually runs from late June into early September. Event dates change each year, so check the official page.

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: Kawagoe Day Trip: Little Edo's Candy Lane and Bells, Sunflower Fields of Japan: Summer's Golden Views, Japan's Four Seasons Explained.