Japan
Japanese

Bronze, silk
Early 20th century
Diameter: 8.25 in
Idiophones – Struck Idiophones

The atarigane or surigane is a saucer-shaped gong used in various folk music and off-stage kabuki music.  The name refers to both the playing method and the materials of the instrument:  Atari (strike); gane/kane (metallophone).  It is played by suspending the gong from a cord or by being held in the player’s palm and struck on the inner surface with a small T-shape wooden beater (bachi) that has a deer horn on the tip.  This atarigane was used at the coronation of Emperor Yoshihito on July 30, 1912, with  inscription verso. 

Reference: “Atarigane,” Henry Johnson, “The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments,” 2^nd ed., Laurence Libin, Editor in Chief.