A japanese tea caddy of urushi lacquer art — this natsume tea caddy by Miyata Sōkei renders the moon viewing rabbit in gold maki-e natsume form. Black lacquer caddy ground, autumn moon motif, tsukimi maki-e from the echizen lacquer art tradition. This maki-e lacquerware vessel for chado tea ceremony holds a rabbit beneath a full golden moon, framed by susuki grasses. A wabi sabi decor object carrying seasonal poetry into the tearoom.
🔹 [ BASIC DETAILS ] • Artist: Miyata Sōkei (宮田宗景) — Echizen maki-e artisan • Type: Maru-natsume (round tea caddy) • Dimensions: H 6.0 cm × W 6.5 cm • Weight: Approx. 37 g • Exterior: Black urushi lacquer with gold maki-e • Interior: Vermilion lacquer (shunuri) • Motif: Tsukimi — moon-viewing rabbit with susuki pampas grass • Includes: Tomobako (artist-signed wooden storage box) • Condition: Excellent — consistent with careful use in tea practice • SKU: 260227_a_2105
🔹 [ CULTURAL INSIGHT ] Tsukimi — the act of contemplating the autumn moon — is among the oldest aesthetic rituals in Japan. The rabbit in the moon is not folklore alone; it is a lens through which generations have witnessed impermanence. In tea, the natsume is chosen to match the season. A tsukimi natsume enters the tearoom in September and October, when the harvest moon hangs low and the susuki grasses bend in evening air.
🔹 [ DEEP-DIVE: THE WORK ] Miyata Sōkei works within the Echizen lacquer tradition, a lineage rooted in Fukui Prefecture spanning over 1,500 years. Echizen maki-e is distinguished by its restraint — gold applied with economy, each stroke carrying meaning rather than ornament.
On this maru-natsume, the composition unfolds around the body: a large gold moon dominates the upper register, while a rabbit sits below in profile, ears raised. Susuki grasses arc from the base, their gold lines thin and assured. The black urushi ground amplifies every element. The vermilion interior — visible only when the lid is lifted — offers a private warmth, a quiet counterpoint to the exterior's nocturnal stillness.
The compact round form sits naturally in the palm. At 37 grams, it is featherweight — the lacquer built in layers so thin they approach membrane. This is functional craft at the threshold of art.
🔹 [ SHIPPING & PACKAGING ] • Dispatch: Within 1-6 business days • Carrier: Japan Post EMS / UPS (with tracking) • Packaging: Carefully wrapped with protective materials
