Black lacquer Natsume tea caddy – Golden mountains in maki-e and nashiji lacquer – Shintani Urushiho

The natsume is a luxurious small tea caddy traditionally used to present matcha in the Japanese tea ceremony (茶の湯).

📐 Specifications

• Origin: Japan – Ishikawa Prefecture, Yamanaka-shikki (山中塗) style
• Estimated Era: Modern era, in the tradition of the Shōwa period
• Material: Finely turned wood, urushi lacquer
• Finish: Deep black lacquer, solid black interior
• Techniques: Maki-e (蒔絵) and Nashiji (梨地)
• Motif: Stylized mountain range evoking Mount Fuji, in the spirit of Nihonga (日本画) landscapes
• Dimensions: Ø 6.7 cm × H 6.8 cm
• Weight: 52 g
• Artisan: Signed 新谷清 (Shintani Kiyoshi), artist name 漆峯 (Urushiho)
• Original Tomobako wooden box
• Condition: Excellent condition, micro-chip on the back rim of the lid (see photos), original signed box (共箱)

🍵 Description

This natsume is a luxurious piece of great mastery, both discreet and poetic.
On a black lacquer base, the artisan has traced, in golden maki-e, a landscape of floating mountains that seem to dissolve in the light. Nothing anecdotal here: the gesture is pure, the composition measured, almost meditative.
These golden reliefs invite us to imagine the silhouette of Mount Fuji.

The nashiji (梨地) work, literally "pear skin," enriches the material with a sublime shimmer.
This technique consists of sprinkling fine gold particles between several layers of lacquer, creating a soft, grainy sparkle that seems to come from within the object rather than its surface.
Under light, the natsume reveals changing, almost living reflections.

The whole evokes the landscapes of Nihonga (日本画) — these Japanese paintings where nature is not copied but suggested.
The sobriety of the black contrasts and highlights the gold dust, creating a unique mountainous atmosphere.

Signed by Shintani Urushiho (新谷清 漆峯), a master lacquerer from the Ishikawa region, trained in the Yamanaka-shikki tradition, this natsume bears witness to a craftsmanship passed down and perfected over generations.

🧽 Care instructions

• Clean gently by hand, without detergent or abrasive
• Dry immediately with a soft cloth
• Avoid prolonged immersion and direct heat
• Store in a dry place, away from light

🦝 We love

The intensity of the lacquered black that contrasts with the golden mountains. The nashi-ji technique is always sublime and perfectly mastered here. A luxurious natsume of great finesse with its original tomobako box that will delight connoisseurs!

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