The Sotoba, or Ihai

 The sotoba, or stupa, is a thin notched wooden lath on which the name of the deceased and a verse from Buddhist scripture are written.

Taiko Drum Workshop

 Marukei is one of just three taiko drum makers in Niigata Prefecture, which is home to the renowned taiko troupe Kodo, and therefore somewhat surprising to me. The current master- in his 60s, I'd guess- is seventh generation and does not appear to have a successor. He told me it can take up to 10 years to build one of the larger drums, with several years required to dry the handpicked keyaki - zelkova growing in Niigata do not grow straight enough, so he gets his wood from Tochigi. With summer festivals and other events at which taiko are played cancelled this year, the builder has seen business drop. Pictured is a repair job on a drum his grandfather built, lettering on the inside indicating the builder and date of completion.