Japanese lacquer or urushi is the purified sap of the Asian lacquer tree, which has been used for thousands of years in Japan to coat objects from crockery to furniture and buildings. When dry, lacquer is both heat and water resistant, therefore providing protection and strength to underlying materials, very often wood, but also bamboo, paper and leather. Lacquerware itself can be referred to as urushi as well as shikki 漆器 (literally “urushi vessel”), and with the development of acrylic resin in the last century, objects coated in synthetic lacquers are considered urushi/shikki too. Pure urushi is transparent, while the black and red lacquers most associated with shikki are achieved with the addition of mineral pigments, over which traditional decorative details such as gold maki-e “sprinkled pictures” or raden “shell inlay” can be applied.
Natsume Kinma
Yamanaka
SKU
1028
Yoshi En has recently grown out of Sunday Natural to become an independent premium tea store. As part of this transition, some products may still be shipped in Sunday Natural packaging.
A striking ceremonial Natsume Matcha caddy intricately decorated in Kinma engravings. Patterns are hand-carved into the base layers of black lacquer, which are then impregnated with the contrasting red. The seamless closure is achieved by carefully cutting through the lacquer between the lid and body, in a technique known as Kiri-ai-guchi (切合口).
| Product | Natsume matcha container, black and red |
| Origin | Yamanaka, Ishikawa, Japan |
| Type | Chu-Natsume (medium size) |
| Dimensions | Ø6.1 x 6.8cm |
| Material | Japanese cherry birch (Betula grossa) |
| Lacquer | Natural Urushi |
| Decoration | Kinma engraving (キンマ彫) |
| Manufacturing | Rokuro-biki (woodturning) |
| Packaging | Kiribako (桐箱 "paulownia box") |
This item is handmade and unique, therefore colour, patterning and dimensions may vary slightly
In stock
Yamanaka Shikki 山中漆器
The small hot spring resort town of Yamanaka Onsen has not only been immortalised in numerous Haiku by the celebrated Japanese poet Bashō, extolling the virtues of its rejuvenating waters – but is also renowned for its rich lacquerware heritage. Nestled amongst the mountains of Ishikawa prefecture, on the northwestern coast of Japan, Yamanaka Onsen’s humid climate is particularly well suited for working with natural Urushi lacquer. The origins of Yamanaka Shikki or lacquerware, can be traced back to around 1580 with the arrival of a group of woodworkers from the nearby city of Echizen who specialised in the art of Rokuro-biki (轆轤挽き) – woodturning: shaping wood on a lathe. The goods they produced were sold as souvenirs to the onsen hot spring tourists and the area soon became known for its fine lacquerware, particularly tea ceremony accessories.
Natsume 棗
During formal Japanese Sadō/Chadō (茶道 “the way of tea”) tea ceremonies, as well as informal Chakai (茶会) tea gatherings, matcha powder is stored in a Natusume tea caddy before it is whipped up into thin Usucha tea in a Matchawan (抹茶椀) tea bowl. Natsume borrows the Japanese name for the jujube red date, which the tea caddy is said to resemble in shape, and are typically made of lacquered wood or bamboo, often adorned with intricate decorations. The Natsume was noted to be a favourite ceremonial utensil of the legendary tea master Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591), and since the Edo period (1603-1868) has been an essential feature of the matcha tea ceremony.
