Materials such as sandalwood and ebony are frequently imported from countries in Asia such as Thailand and Indonesia. The size of a Buddhist altar is expressed in terms of the width of the frame at the bottom. 80cm for city models and 115cm for rural models are the standard sizes for Shin Sect of Buddhist altars, but recently demand for miniature models has grown and 67cm and 55cm models are now common. The best altars come from Kyoto, but the largest producer is Nagoya. Altogether there are fifteen areas of production in Japan, including Niigata, Shinshu Iiyama, Osaka, Hikone, Yamagata, Okayama and Tokyo.
Altars made of tropical woods are the main type produced in Tokyo.
Nagoya produces metal fittings, but most are standard punch- pressed products. The quality of a Buddhist altar is determined by the materials used, and the craftsmanship of its construction, engraving, lacquering, painting and metal fittings. Annual national demand for Buddhist altars in 1996 was 850,000 units. In 1994, there were approximately 750 stores selling Buddhist altars in Japan. Altar imports started around 1970 with imports of parts from Taiwan.