A natsume (tea caddy) of considered restraint and technical clarity, bearing the hanaikada — flower raft — motif in gold and silver maki-e on a deep black lacquer ground. Made by Wakashima Takao, whose name is inscribed on the accompanying tomobako.
🔹 [ BASIC DETAILS ] • Artist: Wakashima Takao (若島孝雄) • Technique: Gold and silver maki-e on black urushi lacquer • Motif: Hanaikada — cherry blossoms, maple leaves, bamboo raft, flowing water • Dimensions: H. approx. 7.3 cm × Dia. approx. 7.3 cm • Condition: Excellent • Provenance: Comes with original tomobako (artist-signed wooden box) • SKU: 260228_a_2166
🔹 [ CULTURAL INSIGHT ] The hanaikada — flower raft — is one of the most enduring motifs in Japanese lacquer and textile arts. It depicts petals fallen from cherry trees, carried downstream on a bamboo raft or gathered on the water's surface. The image collapses seasons: the cherry blossom of spring, the red leaf of autumn, the river that flows through both. In the tea room, this caddy does not demand attention. It earns it.
🔹 [ DEEP-DIVE ] Wakashima Takao's composition on this natsume is notably disciplined. The lid carries the primary scene — gold cherry blossoms, silver-touched maple leaves, the raft form, and flowing water rendered in fine hiramaki-e lines. The body continues with scattered petals, maintaining the motif's continuity without repetition. The lacquer ground is deep and even. The maki-e lines are crisp. This is the work of a craftsman who understands that density of intention is more persuasive than decorative excess.
🔹 [ SHIPPING & PACKAGING ] • Dispatch: Within 1-6 business days • Carrier: Japan Post EMS / UPS (with tracking) • Packaging: Carefully wrapped with protective materials
