Setsugekka Onatsume – Tame Lacquer Matcha Caddy

Setsugekka Onatsume by Soryo

An elegant Japanese Onatsume (大棗) by lacquer artist Soryo (宗凌), featuring the classical Setsugekka (雪月花) theme and finished in rich tame (溜) lacquer.

Setsugekka – Snow, Moon & Flowers

Setsugekka (雪月花) literally means “Snow, Moon, and Flowers,” a poetic expression celebrating the beauty of nature and the changing seasons in Japanese culture.

Snow evokes the quiet beauty of winter, the moon recalls the luminous night sky and the traditional appreciation of moon viewing, while flowers express the beauty and renewal of spring.

Together, snow, moon, and flowers form one of Japan’s most enduring poetic combinations, celebrated for centuries in poetry, art, and decorative traditions.

Rather than being limited to a single seasonal motif, Setsugekka brings together different expressions of seasonal beauty, giving this chaki a timeless and versatile presence in the tea room.

Tame Lacquer

The piece is finished in tame (溜) lacquer, admired for its deep, translucent reddish-brown tone. The rich surface provides an elegant background for the Setsugekka design and reveals subtle depth as the light moves across the lacquer.

Kiri-Awase-Guchi

An important feature of this Onatsume is its Kiri-Awase-Guchi (切合口) construction.

The lid and body are carefully formed to meet with exceptional precision, creating a beautifully clean and harmonious transition between the two sections. This precise construction reflects the skilled woodturning and finishing required in the creation of fine Japanese lacquer tea utensils.

The larger Onatsume (大棗) form gives the piece a distinguished presence in the tea room and provides a generous surface for appreciating the Setsugekka design.

Created by Soryo, this chaki combines a classical Japanese poetic theme with refined lacquer craftsmanship. It is a beautiful choice for Chakai and Chanoyu, as well as for collectors of traditional Japanese lacquerware.

Details

• Artist: Soryo (宗凌)
• Name: Setsugekka (雪月花) – Snow, Moon & Flowers
• Type: Onatsume (大棗)
• Finish: Tame (溜) Lacquer
• Construction: Kiri-Awase-Guchi (切合口)
• Chaki / Matcha Tea Caddy
• For Usucha
• Made in Japan

About Yamanaka Lacquerware

Yamanaka Lacquerware (Yamanaka Shikki) is a traditional Japanese craft produced in Yamanaka Onsen, Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture, with a history spanning approximately 450 years.

It is especially renowned for its exceptional woodturning techniques. Skilled artisans carefully turn each piece to create beautifully balanced, lightweight forms while preserving the natural character and grain of the wood. The surface is then finished with carefully applied layers of lacquer, and some pieces are further embellished with traditional decorative techniques such as maki-e, using gold or silver powders.

Yamanaka lacquerware is highly regarded for its combination of precision, lightness, durability, and understated elegance. Its natsume and other utensils for Chanoyu reflect generations of specialized craftsmanship, bringing together practical function and refined Japanese aesthetics.

About Natsume

A natsume (棗) is a traditional Japanese chaki (茶器), or matcha tea caddy, used to hold matcha during the preparation of usucha (thin tea) in Chanoyu.

Its name comes from its resemblance to the fruit of the natsume, or jujube tree. Over the centuries, the natsume has become one of the most recognizable and important lacquer utensils in the Japanese tea tradition.

Beyond its practical role, a natsume is an important part of the aesthetic composition of a tea gathering. Its form, lacquer finish, decorative technique, and seasonal motif are thoughtfully selected in harmony with the chawan, chashaku, and other utensils.

A finely crafted natsume is therefore more than simply a container for matcha—it is an integral part of the beauty, seasonality, and artistic expression of Chanoyu.