{"product_id":"akoda-gata-cha-ire-gourd-tea-caddy-tame-nuri-lacquer-with-shifuku-pouch","title":"Akoda-Gata Cha-ire Gourd Tea Caddy - Tame-nuri Lacquer with Shifuku Pouch","description":"Experience Authentic Japan Art with this Japanese Tea Caddy. This Akoda Gourd Shape Caddy serves as a Koicha Tea Container and Tame Nuri Lacquerware, featuring Meibutsu-gire Silk Pouch and Wooden Lid Design—a must-have for any Art Collector. A classic gourd-shaped Cha-ire for thick tea with Traditional Lacquer Finish and elegant brocade pouch.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e🔹 [ BASIC DETAILS ]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e• Artist: Unknown craftsman\u003cbr\u003e• Technique: Tame-nuri (溜塗) – layered translucent lacquer over red undercoat\u003cbr\u003e• Era: Showa period\u003cbr\u003e• Origin: Japan\u003cbr\u003e• Dimensions: Height approx. 7.8 cm, Diameter approx. 7.2 cm\u003cbr\u003e• Lid: Turned wooden lid (木蓋)\u003cbr\u003e• Accessories: Shifuku silk pouch in Meibutsu-gire pattern, storage box\u003cbr\u003e• Condition: Good – Minor wear consistent with age, no structural damage\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e🔹 [ CULTURAL \u0026amp; ARTISTIC INSIGHT ]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Akoda-gata (阿古陀形) takes its name from the ridged winter squash, its lobed silhouette evoking the organic beauty of natural forms. This distinctive shape emerged during the Momoyama period when tea masters sought vessels that embodied wabi aesthetics—finding beauty in humble, rustic forms drawn from everyday life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe tame-nuri finish reveals extraordinary depth: multiple transparent lacquer layers over a red-brown base create a luminous amber quality that deepens with age and handling. The color shifts subtly in different lighting, from deep burgundy in shadows to warm chestnut where light catches the surface.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e*\"Like autumn squash ripening in the field, this cha-ire holds the warmth of harvest within its curved form.\"*\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e🔹 [ DEEP-DIVE COMMENTARY ]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e**Form and Function**: The cha-ire (tea caddy) traditionally holds koicha—the thick, intense matcha reserved for formal tea gatherings. Unlike the natsume used for usucha (thin tea), the cha-ire demands a fitted wooden lid and protective silk pouch, reflecting the precious nature of the tea it contains.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e**Tame-nuri Technique**: This finishing method involves applying numerous coats of transparent lacquer (sukiurushi) over a colored base. As layers accumulate, they create dimensional depth impossible to achieve with opaque lacquer. The technique requires patience—each coat must cure completely before the next application.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e**Shifuku Significance**: The accompanying silk pouch (shifuku) in Meibutsu-gire (名物裂) pattern elevates this set. These historic textile patterns, often reproducing fabrics from the Muromachi and Momoyama periods, signal the vessel's ceremonial importance. The crimson ground with gold medallions suggests auspicious occasions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e**Collector Appeal**: Complete cha-ire sets with original shifuku and storage box represent increasingly rare finds. The akoda form, with its pleasing tactile quality and connection to nature, appeals to collectors seeking authentic tea ceremony utensils beyond the ubiquitous natsume.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[ JAPANESE DESCRIPTION \/ 日本語解説 ]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e🔹 [ 基本情報 ]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e• 作家：作者不詳\u003cbr\u003e• 技法：溜塗\u003cbr\u003e• 時代：昭和\u003cbr\u003e• 寸法：高さ約7.8cm、径約7.2cm\u003cbr\u003e• 付属品：木蓋、仕覆（名物裂）、箱\u003cbr\u003e• 状態：良好。経年による若干の使用感あり。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e🔹 [ 作品解説 ]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e阿古陀形（あこだがた）は冬瓜を模した形状で、桃山時代に茶人たちが侘びの美意識を体現する器として好んだ形です。瓜の畝を思わせる縦の稜線が、手に馴染む優しい触感を生み出しています。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e溜塗は透漆を幾重にも重ねる技法で、下地の朱が透けて見える奥行きのある色合いが特徴です。光の加減で琥珀色から栗色まで微妙に変化し、使い込むほどに艶が深まります。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e名物裂の仕覆が付属しており、濃茶点前に相応しい格式を備えた茶入です。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🔹 [ SHIPPING \u0026amp; PACKAGING ]\u003cbr\u003e• Dispatch: Within 1-6 business days\u003cbr\u003e• Carrier: Japan Post EMS \/ UPS (with tracking)\u003cbr\u003e• Packaging: Carefully wrapped with protective materials\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"The Modern Zen Archive","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":61566202380658,"sku":"260127_1846","price":604.0,"currency_code":"AED","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/5680\/3698\/files\/row_514_img_1_strict_final_1769595455954.jpg?v=1770108324","url":"https:\/\/checkout.themodernzenarchive.com\/products\/akoda-gata-cha-ire-gourd-tea-caddy-tame-nuri-lacquer-with-shifuku-pouch","provider":"The Modern Zen Archive","version":"1.0","type":"link"}