 The brilliant design emphasized in black
The black emphasizes the fine design of the tray. These small size black plates are a standard item in Japanese-style tea. They are coated with Urethane lacquer; it’s tougher and more reasonable than urushi lacquer. Therefore, this is perfect as an entry model. The black creates a sharp modern image for your tea time, and also accentuates any sweet placed on it. It can be appreciated as a snack tray or a small individual tray at dinner. |
    Japan lacquer wareNowadays, Japanese lacquer ware is crafted from two types of materials and two types of lacquer. The materials are wood and synthetic resin. Wood ware insulates well, and is good for keeping soups and teas hot. It is lightweight and pleasant to the touch. Synthetic resin is stronger against changes in temperature and not easily deformed. It can be used in the refrigerator. It is heavier than wood ware and does not insulate as well. However, synthetic resin ware is usually cheaper than wood ware, so that it can be used casually. The two types of lacquer are urushi and urethane. Urushi is made from the sap of the Urushi tree. It is the best of natural lacquers. The urethane is a synthetic lacquer to imitate urushi. It is not as good as urushi in the touch and smoothness, even though it is tougher against light and heat, and cheaper. |
    Echizen lacquer wareEchizen is found in Ishikawa prefecture and is the home of this particular type of lacquer ware. Its history is believed to begin in the 6th century. The emperor at that time commissioned a lacquerer to re-coat his kanmuri, or formal headgear. In addition to re-coating the kanmuri, the lacquerer also presented the emperor a black lacquered bowl. The emperor was impressed with his work, and it is thought that this encouragement led to the establishment of Echizen lacquer as a special craft.
Several coats of lacquer are applied to each piece and left to harden naturally. Echizen pieces show no brush marks or blemishes, and are well-known for its smooth gloss and quality. Bowls, trays, and stacking boxes are the most common examples of this craft. Currently, the Japanese government recognizes 44 Master Craftsmen of this art.
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 | Production region | Echizen (Fukui Japan) | | Dimensions | 151*151*h30mm (5.94*5.94*h1.18in) | | Weight | 145g (5.11oz) | | Material | Wood/resin composite | | Coating / Glaze | Black urethane lacquer |
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