A lidded confection container (jikiro / 喰籠) in Wajima-nuri lacquer by Chahei Issai (茶平一斎), decorated across its entire surface with ultra-fine gold line maki-e depicting waves, clouds, and Genji-guruma — the ox-cart wheels of Heian court imagery. The work commands attention through accumulation: line upon line, motif layered within motif, the whole surface animated without becoming restless.
📐 [ BASIC DETAILS ] • Artist: Chahei Issai (茶平一斎) • Origin: Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan • Dimensions: H 11.9 cm × W 20.2 cm • Construction: Wood core with Wajima urushi lacquer • Decoration: Gold maki-e — Genji-guruma, waves (haito), and clouds, full-surface coverage • Condition: Excellent. Lacquer surface bright and intact. • Provenance: Original signed tomobako with clear inscription • SKU: 260228_a_2165
🏛️ [ CULTURAL INSIGHT ] Genji-guruma — the rolling ox-cart wheel, half-submerged in a stream — is one of the most recognizable motifs in Japanese decorative art, tracing its authorship to the world of The Tale of Genji. The wheel at rest in moving water: a meditation on impermanence, on the Heian court's awareness of transience beneath its formality. Here, Chahei Issai places the wheels within a field of waves and clouds, each element rendered in the same disciplined gold line, collapsing the hierarchy of motifs into a continuous, breathing surface. Wajima lacquerware carries its own cultural weight — the town's tradition of layered urushi application, with intermediate polishing stages, produces a depth of finish that distinguishes it from lacquerwork produced elsewhere in Japan.
🔍 [ DEEP-DIVE ] The jikiro (喰籠, also written 食籠) is a lidded vessel used in formal tea gatherings to present wagashi (Japanese sweets) to guests. Its proportions — substantial height relative to width — allow for elegant presentation of multiple sweets arranged within. Chahei Issai's maki-e technique here deploys what appears to be togidashi or ke-nuri line work: extremely fine gold lines applied with the tip of a maki-e brush, then built up in parallel passages to create the wave patterns. The Genji-guruma wheels are drawn with circular precision, their spokes radiating cleanly. The total surface area covered is considerable — both lid and body, including the vertical sides — making this a technically demanding commission at any period. The tomobako inscription names the motif and the artist, providing clear provenance for the tea collector.
🔹 [ SHIPPING & PACKAGING ] • Dispatch: Within 1-6 business days • Carrier: Japan Post EMS / UPS (with tracking) • Packaging: Carefully wrapped with protective materials
