Matcha tea caddy natsume Musashino maki-e 武蔵野蒔絵 Okamoto Yōsai

A refined 溜中棗 (tame-chū-natsume) by the documented lacquer master Okamoto Yōsai (岡本陽斎), executed in the classic Musashino maki-e (武蔵野蒔絵) motif. The deep reddish-brown lacquer ground, characteristic of the rare tame-nuri (溜塗) technique, radiates a timeless warmth that brings the golden motif vividly to life.

Motif

On the warm reddish-brown lacquer ground, the characteristic plants of the Musashino Plain are rendered in delicate gold maki-e: tall, sweeping plumes of susuki (Japanese pampas grass) with graceful leaves cascading like a fountain across the surface. The lines are extremely fine, from the sturdy stems to the tiniest pointed leaf tips, flowing seamlessly from the body over the seam to the lid as a single continuous landscape.

Between the golden grasses, small flat metallic accents (hyōmon, 平文) are incorporated into the lacquer. These details evoke dew or raindrops resting on the leaves. They catch the light subtly and give the surface additional depth without disturbing the overall serenity. The combination of maki-e and metal emphasizes the interplay between nature, time, and transience.

Symbolism

武蔵野 (Musashino) refers to the vast grasslands west of present-day Tokyo, one of the most celebrated landscapes in classical Japanese poetry and literature. The motif represents the quiet beauty of autumn—the wind moving through the grasses, the light gliding away—and embodies the Japanese aesthetic of mono no aware, the poignant beauty of impermanence. In the tea ceremony, this motif evokes the mood of an autumn afternoon: calm, contemplative, and fully present.

Object Details

• Maker: Okamoto Yōsai (岡本陽斎) — Wajima lacquer master, b. 1932, Kyoto
• Title: Musashino maki-e chū-natsume (武蔵野蒔絵溜中棗)
• Technique: Gold maki-e on tame-nuri (溜塗) urushi lacquer
• Material: Lacquered wood (urushi)
• Diameter: ≈ 6.5 cm
• Height: ≈ 6.4 cm
• Condition: Excellent, very clean with minor signs of use
• Accessories: Original tomobako with handwritten inscription and seal
• Accessories: Cloth (共布)

Signature and Maker

Okamoto Yōsai (岡本陽斎) works within the Wajima lacquer tradition and masters multiple techniques: maki-e, raden (螺鈿 / mother-of-pearl inlay), dokuma-nuri (独楽塗 / independent turning), and the use of contrasts between black and red lacquer. He creates both tea ceremony implements and functional objects, and is renowned for his balanced compositions and skilled depictions of grasses and birds (tezumi). The tomobako bears his signature 陽斎 with personal seal, a mark of direct authenticity.