When I first arrived in Japan I was amazed to see a post office employee totting up prices on a Japanese abacus or “soroban“. I thought this was the land of advanced electronic technology and would have expected to see him using a modern Japanese electronic calculator!
Actually, the calculation the post office official was performing was so simple that I was surprised that he didn’t simply do it in his head…
Anyway, it turns out that just as there is a “Way of Tea” and a “Way of Archery” and so on, there is also a venerable “Way of the Abacus” and you can go to evening classes and study how to master it. In short, I had stumbled upon another facet of “traditional Japan” – the soroban!
| Sorban | Details |
|---|---|
 Basic 11 Rod Soroban Click here for a larger photo of the Basic 11-Rod Soroban Basic 13 Rod Soroban Click here for a larger photo of the Tomoe 13-Rod Soroban | This basic no-frills model is ideal for anybody who wants to try using a Japanese abacus for the first time. The plastic rods and beads are housed in a sturdy plastic frame. There are two models to choose from, an 11 rod (7" x 2 3/8") and a 13 rod (8" x 2 3/8") model. Shipping: Airmail from Japan. |
 Click here for a larger photo of the Tomoe 11-Rod Soroban | This Tomoe model is a pocket-sized Japanese abacus which consists of eleven rods each with four beads below and one above the divider. The rods are housed in a sturdy plastic frame that measures 6.5 x 2.5 inches. The beads are made of plastic and are mounted on wooden rods. Shipping: Express Mail Service from Japan. |
 Click here for a larger photo of the Tomoe 11-Rod Soroban | Tomoe 11-Rod Multi-Colour Soroban Here's a Japanese abacus with a difference! Brighten up your calculations with this multi-colour soroban. The abacus consists of eleven rods each with four beads below and one above the divider, but each row is made up of beads of one colour, with the whole abacus consisting of beads of five different colours: yellow; orange; green; red; blue; cream. The rods are housed in a sturdy plastic frame that measures 6.5 x 2.5 inches. The beads are made of plastic and are mounted on wooden rods. Shipping: Express Mail Service from Japan. |
 Click here for a larger photo of the Tomoe 13-Rod Soroban | This Tomoe model is a standard-sized Japanese abacus which consists of thirteen rods each with four beads below and one above the divider. It is made of plastic. It is well finished and offers a functional and economical alternative to the standard wooden model listed below It measures 7.8 x 2.5 inches. $29.50 (+ S&H) Shipping: Express Mail Service from Japan. |
 Click here for a larger photo of the Tomoe 13-Rod Wooden-Frame Soroban | This Tomoe model is a standard-sized Japanese abacus which consists of thirteen rods each with four beads below and one above the divider. The frame is made of wood and is a very traditional soroban. Fine wood and a good quality, it measures 7.8 x 2.5 inches. $45.00 (+ S&H) Shipping: Express Mail Service from Japan. |
 Click here for a larger photo of the Tomoe 15-Rod PatiQ Soroban | This PatiQ soroban is made of plastic and comes in a pretty, robust case. The top label says that "Practice makes Perfect". It measures 9.4" x 2.6". Shipping: Express Mail Service from Japan. |
 | This is Tomoe's standard 23-rod soroban and is finely crafted in plastic and wood. The frame is strengthened at back by a series of pins. Shipping: Express Mail Service from Japan. |
 | This is Tomoe's standard 27-rod soroban and is finely crafted in plastic and wood. The frame is strengthened at back by a series of pins. Shipping: Express Mail Service from Japan. |
Hello
I live in Calgary, Canada. My mother is 87 and wants an abacus. I would like to get her a traditional soroban with instruction book. Can you ship to Canada ? What would the cost be ? Thank you.
Diane
Hi Diane, Yes, I can ship a traditional soroban to Canada. I can also ship Japanese language soroban instruction books. I’ll email you. DH.
Is shipping to Russia possible? If ‘yes’, how much it would cost?
Hi Serge,
Yes, I ship a lot of stuff to Russia. As for the shipping cost, it depends what you order. I sometimes have to request extra shipping on heavier items. Drop me a line via my contact form and I can discuss the details with you.
David