Experience Authentic Japanese Lacquerware with this Byakudan Nuri Tea Caddy. This Nakamura Koho O-natsume serves as a Bamboo Grass Motif masterpiece and Gold Lacquer Art creation, featuring Autumn Lacquer aesthetics and Maki-e Lacquerware craftsmanship — a must-have for any Chanoyu Utensil collector seeking Urushi Craft and authentic Tea Ceremony Caddy.
• Artist: Nakamura Koho (中村香鳳) • Form: O-natsume (large tea caddy) • Technique: Byakudan-nuri ground with sasa maki-e decoration • Motif: Sasa (bamboo grass) in autumnal tones • Era: Contemporary • Origin: Japan • Dimensions: H 7.5 cm × W 7.5 cm (H 3.0" × W 3.0") • Box: Signed tomobako with purple silk cord (真田紐) and artist's seal • Condition: Excellent — lacquer surface shows depth and clarity, maki-e intact
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Byakudan-nuri — white sandalwood lacquer — refers not to embedded wood but to the technique's visual effect: a translucent amber ground that suggests the warm, resinous glow of sandalwood. This lacquer method requires exceptional skill, as the artist builds thin, luminous layers that allow light to penetrate and reflect from within. Nakamura Koho employs this foundation to dramatic effect, contrasting the warm ground with maki-e bamboo leaves rendered in gold, orange, and coral.
The sasa (bamboo grass) motif carries layered meaning in tea culture. Unlike towering bamboo, sasa grows low and resilient, bending but never breaking under snow. It symbolizes adaptability and quiet endurance. Here, Koho renders the leaves in autumnal transition — gold on the lid shifting to deeper coral-red on the body — capturing the moment when seasonal change becomes visible.
The design strategy is spatial and chromatic. Koho distributes the sasa leaves across both lid and body, creating visual continuity that unifies the vessel. The color progression — from gold-orange above to coral-red below — suggests natural light falling through autumn foliage. This is not decoration applied to a surface; it is a composed environment where lacquer ground, maki-e technique, and seasonal symbolism converge.
The byakudan-nuri ground itself functions as active participant. Where the maki-e leaves thin or taper, the amber lacquer shows through, creating tonal variation within each leaf. This interplay between applied decoration and revealed ground generates depth that static pigment cannot achieve.
The o-natsume form — larger than standard chu-natsume — allows Koho to work at a scale where brushwork and maki-e detail remain visible without becoming precious. The substantial size suits koicha (thick tea) preparation in formal tea gatherings, where the caddy is presented and examined as part of the ritual sequence.
The signed tomobako with purple silk cord and artist's seal confirms authenticity. The inscription "白檀塗 笹蒔絵 大棗 香鳳" documents technique, motif, and form. In tea culture, the unboxing ritual is part of the aesthetic experience — the gradual revelation of the object building anticipation.
🔹 [ SHIPPING & PACKAGING ] • Dispatch: Within 1-6 business days • Carrier: Japan Post EMS / UPS (with tracking) • Packaging: Carefully wrapped with protective materials
