Kane (instrument)

The kane or shō (鉦 or 鐘) [kane] is a type of dish-shaped bell from Japan. In gagaku music, this instrument is called shōko.

The "Kane" (鉦) is often found in traditional Japanese music or Min'yō. Although sometimes suspended from a bar, it is more common for a musician to hold the bell in place with one hand beat it with the other using a special mallet, often made from bone.^[1] The kane makes three distinct sounds: chon - hitting the middle; chi - hitting the inside edge; and ki - reversing the stroke. This kind of onomatopoeic mnemonic or shouga is common in Japanese music.^[1] There are several sizes of kane, such as the atarigane or the surigane.

Kane are also used in Buddhist or Shinto ceremonies. In temples, they may be used to signify time or alert people to certain events.

See also

• Bonshō
• Suzu
• Japanese bells

References

Bells
Background and terminology	Bell Bell-cot Bellfounding Bell-gable Bell tower / Campanile Bell-ringer Belfry Campanology Church bell Full circle ringing Ring of bells Strike tone Striking clock Zvonnitsa
Bell founders and foundries	Andrey Chokhov Bilbie family Franciscus Illenfeld Geert van Wou Gillett & Johnston Hatch bell foundry John Taylor & Co Juutila Foundry Kashpir Ganusov McShane Bell Foundry Meneely Bell Foundry Petit & Fritsen Royal Eijsbouts bell foundry Rudhall of Gloucester Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Types	Agogô Altar bell Babendil Bianzhong Bicycle bell Bonshō Carillon Chime Cowbell Crotal bell Dead bell Doorbell Dōtaku Glockenspiel Handbell Jingle bell Kane Ship's bell Singing bowl Suzu Tintinnabulum Tubular bells
Bellringing	Bell pattern Blagovest Bolognese bell ringing art Change ringing Canpanò Grandsire Method ringing Organisations Peal Russian Orthodox bell ringing Veronese bellringing art
Notable bells	List of heaviest bells Balangiga bells Bell of Good Luck Big Ben Great Bell of Dhammazedi Great Tom Ivan the Great Bell Tower Japanese Peace Bell Liberty Bell Mingun Bell Sigismund Bell St. Petersglocke Swan Bells Tsar Bell World Peace Bells Yongle Big Bell
Related	The Ringing World Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers Glockenmuseum Stiftskirche Herrenberg Liberty Bell Museum