Handcrafted saucer, diameter: 5.43inch (13.8cm)
Traditional Yamanaka Nuri lacquer craft

Yamanaka Nuri is well known for high quality lacquer ware. Yamanaka is located in Ishikawa Prefecture and faces the Sea of Japan. It is about 200km (124miles) from Kyoto, which had been the MIYAKO capital of Japan for over a thousand years. There are many sophisticated works in Yamanaka Nuri lacquer craft.

Especially remarkable aspects of these Chataku are a garnish of gold color circle and beautiful pattern carved like a stalk of rice at harvest. KIN, name of these Chataku, means gold in Japanese. INAHO means "ear of rice." The gold color is brought by mixing gold into the lacquer. It is one of the traditional decorative techniques of Yamanaka Nuri. And the INAHO pattern is created by hand using turning wheel and chisel.

These Chataku are coated with lacquer three times. Lacquer craft gains the deepness of color and shine and increases in intensity with each new layer or coat of the lacquer. These Chataku are made from only quality wood and lacquer material grown in the local area and crafted by traditional technique passed down for many generations. Tochi wood (of the Beech tree family) is used for these. As someone with a love of Japanese tea and tea ware, you have probably noticed that many shops sell a wide variety of cheap lacquer ware - usually made outside Japan with low quality material such as plastic. Our Chataku are true lacquer ware made in Japan of natural wood and lacquer, following a time-honored traditional process by skilled artisan. One of the special aspects of true lacquer ware is that it gains a beautiful patina over time and through repeated use.

The size of these Chataku is medium to large, a little bit larger than average. So, these saucer fit both small and large size Yunomi (tea cup). And atmosphere of these Chataku matches both with sophisticated Yunomi like Kyo-Yaki and well-made earthenware like Shigaraki-Yaki.

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