Antique Japanese Hand Carved Wooden Kashigata Cake Mold Round Manju

This is an antique Japanese cake mold known as a Kashigata. It is made of wild cherry wood that has been allowed to cure for over 5 years before carving. Carved in the shape of well rendered round manju  (a kind of baked bun) it is a perfect reverse carving that, when filled with a dough consisting of soy flour and sugar creates a perfectly formed positive image of a realistic sized manju.

This kashigata measures 5 1/2" long by 3 1/2 wide by 1 1/2 deep (14 x 9 x 4 cm).

Having been well used yet well loved for nearly a century, this kashigata remains in very fine condition. with a warm century deep patina. A very collectible yet still very functional culinary accent. On the side, written in Japanese Kanji characters are the words in Japanese for manju (see picture 11) .