Chasen Suehiro

Outer tines are separated by intertwined threads from thinner, inner tines.  The outer tines are bent outwards, the inner tines are bent inwards. The alternating tines create the Japanese number eight, hachi, 八, manifesting sue-hiro, 末広, ends-wide. The inner tines also create the number hachi in the opposite direction. The number eight is symbolic of Infinity in Space. The two variations of the number hachi, might evoke the number hachi-hachi, 八八, or hachi-jū-hachi, 八十八, which is exceptionally auspicious, symbolic of the center of the world.

There are three threads that measure 8 sun kane-jaku, long, that are wound around the chasen, and that are left a little long so that there does not need to be a knot. There are six thread ends, and the number six is symbolic of water and Infinity in Time.  The threads also prevent water from the tines moving down to the handle when the whisk is inverted as rest. This prevents the handle from getting wet: the tines are wet, In, and the handle is dry, Yō.  The numbers eight and six are symbolic of Infinity in Space and Time.

For further study, see also: Chasen, Chasen and Tea, Chasen and the Gorintō, Chasen Whisk and Thread, Chasen and Sensu, Natsume Chasen Chashaku