{"product_id":"murata-hyakusen-kaga-maki-e-hira-natsume-shimekazari-gold-lacquer-tea-caddy","title":"Murata Hyakusen Kaga Maki-e Hira-Natsume 'Shimekazari' - Gold Lacquer Tea Caddy","description":"A masterful flat tea caddy (hira-natsume) by renowned Kaga maki-e artisan Murata Hyakusen, featuring an exquisite shimekazari (sacred New Year rope decoration) motif in gold maki-e on deep black lacquer. This museum-quality piece showcases pine needle fans and shimenawa rope elements rendered in fine gold work, with a luxurious nashiji (pear-skin gold) interior. A magnificent New Year or celebratory tea ceremony piece from the prestigious Kaga lacquer tradition. Ships with tracking from Japan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[ PRODUCT DETAILS ]\u003cbr\u003e• Artist: Murata Hyakusen (村田百川)\u003cbr\u003e• Origin: Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan (Kaga maki-e tradition)\u003cbr\u003e• Type: Flat Tea Caddy (Hira-Natsume \/ 平棗)\u003cbr\u003e• Style: Kaga Maki-e \/ Traditional Japanese \/ Celebratory\u003cbr\u003e• Dimensions: 8.0 cm diameter × 6.0 cm height (3.1\" × 2.4\") – Compact ceremonial form\u003cbr\u003e• Materials: Wood core, natural urushi lacquer, gold powder (maki-e), nashiji gold interior\u003cbr\u003e• Packaging: Signed wooden box (tomobako) with artist's signature \"百川\", silk fukusa (purple) included\u003cbr\u003e• Condition: Excellent condition. Mirror-like lacquer finish with no scratches or damage. Gold maki-e design crisp and fully intact.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[ ABOUT THIS PIECE ]\u003cbr\u003eThis hira-natsume is a tour de force of the Kaga maki-e tradition — one of Japan's most celebrated schools of lacquer art. The flattened, rounded form (hira-natsume, 'flat jujube') sits low and elegant, its deep black lacquer ground polished to a mirror finish that reflects light with glass-like clarity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe design depicts 'shimekazari' (〆かざり) — the sacred decorative rope hung during Japanese New Year to invite good fortune and ward off evil spirits. Rendered in gold maki-e, clusters of radiating pine needle fans emerge from the lower portion of the body, their fine lines fanning outward with botanical precision. Above them, a gold horizontal line represents the shimenawa rope, with hanging shide (zigzag paper streamers) descending in geometric regularity. The composition wraps around the entire body, creating a continuous ceremonial tableau.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe interior reveals another level of luxury — nashiji (梨地), a technique where fine gold flakes are suspended in translucent amber lacquer, creating a surface that glows like the skin of a golden pear. This interior treatment alone represents significant additional labor and material cost.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[ WHY CHOOSE THIS NATSUME? ]\u003cbr\u003eMurata Hyakusen is a respected master of Kaga maki-e, the lacquer tradition of Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) that has been designated as a Traditional Craft of Japan. Kaga maki-e is distinguished from other lacquer schools by its emphasis on pictorial realism, elaborate layering techniques, and the use of multiple gold tones to create depth and dimension.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis piece demonstrates several hallmarks of master-level Kaga work: the flawless mirror-finish base lacquer, the precise yet naturalistic gold rendering of the pine motif, the geometric precision of the shide streamers, and the opulent nashiji interior. Each element requires separate application stages, with days of drying between layers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[ CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE ]\u003cbr\u003eThe shimekazari motif carries deep spiritual significance in Japanese culture. During the New Year period (shogatsu), shimenawa ropes and shimekazari decorations are hung at entrances to mark sacred space and welcome the toshigami (year deity). The pine elements represent longevity and constancy — the evergreen that endures through winter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn tea ceremony, a natsume with auspicious imagery such as shimekazari would be selected for New Year gatherings (hatsugama — the first tea ceremony of the year) or other celebratory occasions. The flat form (hira-natsume) is particularly associated with formal, elegant tea ceremonies.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[ PROVENANCE \u0026amp; AUTHENTICITY ]\u003cbr\u003eAccompanied by the artist's signed wooden box (tomobako) with brush calligraphy and the artist's name \"百川\" (Hyakusen). Includes a purple silk fukusa cloth for display. The tomobako serves as a certificate of authenticity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[ SUGGESTED USES ]\u003cbr\u003e• Tea ceremony use — holds matcha powder for formal thin tea (usucha) preparation, ideal for New Year celebrations\u003cbr\u003e• Museum-quality display piece for Japanese lacquerware collections\u003cbr\u003e• Perfect gift for serious tea practitioners, collectors of Kaga lacquer art, or anyone who appreciates the pinnacle of Japanese craftsmanship\u003cbr\u003e• Exceptional New Year or milestone gift with profound cultural meaning\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ]\u003cbr\u003eQ: What is Kaga maki-e?\u003cbr\u003eA: Kaga maki-e is the lacquer art tradition of the former Kaga domain (present-day Ishikawa Prefecture), centered in Kanazawa. It is one of Japan's most prestigious lacquer schools, known for elaborate gold work, realistic designs, and techniques that have been refined over 400 years.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eQ: What is nashiji?\u003cbr\u003eA: Nashiji (梨地) means 'pear-skin ground.' Fine gold flakes are embedded in translucent amber lacquer, creating a luminous, golden interior that resembles the skin of an Asian pear. It is a hallmark of high-quality lacquerware.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eQ: How should I care for this piece?\u003cbr\u003eA: Wipe gently with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid direct sunlight and extreme temperature changes. Never use water, detergent, or a dishwasher on lacquerware. Store in its wooden box when not in use. The silk fukusa should be kept dry.\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":61566202184050,"sku":"260127_1845","price":3346.0,"currency_code":"AED","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/5680\/3698\/files\/row_513_img_1_strict_1769578694796.jpg?v=1770108313","url":"https:\/\/checkout.themodernzenarchive.com\/products\/murata-hyakusen-kaga-maki-e-hira-natsume-shimekazari-gold-lacquer-tea-caddy","provider":"The Modern Zen Archive","version":"1.0","type":"link"}