Sabian has recently introduced two new additions to its Holy China lineup, created exclusively for Japan in 2025. Not through global press releases or fanfare, but tucked neatly into their AREA51 prototype catalog, these 14-inch and 16-inch cymbals are drawing attention for all the right reasons.
At first glance, they look like their older siblings: raw, pierced, and aggressive, but there’s something different. Maybe it’s the way the light hits the brilliant-finish 14″, reflecting just enough shimmer before the raw bell interrupts the gloss. Or maybe it’s the unexpected variations in hammering that set them apart. Whatever it is, drummers are noticing.
Japan’s drumming community, long known for its deep respect for craftsmanship and tone, seems like the perfect home for these short-run gems. Sabian’s AREA51 concept isn’t just a branding gimmick: it’s a real-life playground where cymbals are allowed to be weird, inconsistent, and beautiful. Each piece in this new series was made by hand. And not mass-produced. No two are quite the same.
So why limit them to Japan? It’s unclear if this is about testing the waters or rewarding a specific market, but one thing’s certain: the scarcity has already added value. Select stores like Ikebe Shibuya and Drum Station in Osaka have begun taking orders, and it’s unlikely they’ll last long. Prices land around ¥50,000 to ¥60,000, though no international path has been laid out, at least not officially
Online chatter paints a clearer picture than any product sheet could. A few drummers on Reddit who got their hands on earlier Holy China sizes, like the 17″, swear by them. “Wild but musical,” one user wrote. “I play metal and jazz, and it works for both somehow.” Another admitted switching to it after growing tired of stock splashes, calling the Holy China a “breath of fresh air.”
The new 14″ comes in two styles: one with a brilliant finish and big hammer marks, and the other with a natural tone and finer detailing. The 16″ sticks to a raw finish and feels a bit more mature, less punchy, more rounded in decay. Both keep the familiar rows of vent holes, giving them that signature, biting attack.