Urasenke Tantansai Konomi-utsushi Baigetsu Natsume Lacquer Chaki Matcha Caddy

Tantansai Konomi-utsushi Baigetsu Natsume by Soetsu Nakamura

A refined Baigetsu Natsume (梅月棗) by Japanese lacquer artist Soetsu Nakamura (中村宗悦), created as a Tantansai Konomi-utsushi (淡々斎好写)—a faithful interpretation of a design favored by Tantansai (淡々斎), the 14th-generation Grand Master of Urasenke.

Baigetsu – Plum Blossoms in Moonlight

The name Baigetsu (梅月) combines ume (梅), plum blossoms, and tsuki (月), the moon. The design captures a particularly poetic moment at the very beginning of spring.

Ume is one of the first flowers to bloom while winter still lingers, quietly announcing the arrival of spring. Its delicate blossoms and subtle fragrance possess a beauty that is both graceful and remarkably resilient.

This natsume evokes the image of plum blossoms emerging from the darkness beneath the soft glow of the moon—their fragrance barely perceptible in the cool night air.

One of the most sophisticated details of the design is the treatment of the moonlight. The moon is rendered in a subtle gin-nezu (銀鼠), or silvery gray, and only the portions of the plum blossoms touched by its light appear in shimmering gold. The remaining blossoms recede quietly into the darker surface.

This thoughtful contrast creates the impression that the plum blossoms are gradually revealing themselves in the dim moonlight. Rather than depicting the flowers simply as decoration, the design captures the atmosphere of an early spring night—the darkness, the restrained light of the moon, and the quiet presence of ume beginning to bloom.

It is a beautifully considered composition that expresses both the delicacy and strength of the plum blossom, qualities long admired in Japanese seasonal aesthetics.

As a design favored by Tantansai, the 14th-generation Grand Master of Urasenke, the Baigetsu Natsume also carries a meaningful connection to the aesthetic lineage of Urasenke.

Especially appropriate for late winter through early spring, this is an elegant chaki for an ume-season chakai and a particularly meaningful choice for Urasenke practitioners and collectors of fine Japanese tea utensils.

About the Artist – Soetsu Nakamura

Soetsu Nakamura (中村宗悦), born in Ishikawa Prefecture in 1932, is a Japanese lacquer artist known for traditional lacquerware created for Chanoyu.

He began studying kyushitsu, the traditional art of applying and building layers of urushi lacquer, under his father in 1946 and devoted his career to creating lacquer tea utensils.

Nakamura also studied the Way of Tea beginning in 1967 and later received the tea name Sokyo (宗恭) in 1987. His understanding of Chanoyu is reflected throughout his extensive body of work, including natsume and other lacquer utensils for the tea room.

His craftsmanship has received numerous honors in Japan, including awards at the National Lacquerware Exhibition. He is particularly known among tea practitioners for his finely crafted lacquer tea utensils, including works based on konomi designs associated with distinguished tea masters of the Senke traditions.

Details

• Artist: Soetsu Nakamura (中村宗悦)

• Name: Baigetsu Natsume (梅月棗)

• Design: Tantansai Konomi-utsushi (淡々斎好写)

• Tradition: Urasenke

• Motif: Ume (Plum Blossoms) & Moon

• Moon Color: Gin-nezu (銀鼠 / Silvery Gray)

• Chaki / Matcha Tea Caddy

• For Usucha

• Recommended Season: Late Winter to Early Spring / Ume Season

• 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 thin, beautifully balanced forms while preserving the natural character and grain of the wood. The wooden surface is then carefully finished with layers of urushi lacquer, and some pieces are further embellished with traditional decorative techniques such as maki-e.

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, or 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 function, a natsume plays an important aesthetic role in the tea setting. Its form, lacquer finish, decorative technique, and seasonal motifs are thoughtfully selected in harmony with the other utensils, the season, and the theme of the tea gathering.

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