Black Persimmon Incense Box, "Vertical Wood Cut," 60mm, Manju Shape, One-Touch Opening, Premium Quality

[Black Persimmon Incense Box with Vertical Cutting]

Black persimmon wood has been prized since ancient times as a high-grade material for tea ceremony utensils, joinery, and wipe-lacquerware. Its greatest appeal lies in the "suminagashi" pattern, where jet-black ink flows across the surface. This particular incense box is made from black persimmon wood, using a rare vertical cut.

The art of vertical wood cutting

Vertical grain cutting is a method of sawing wood so that the annual rings run vertically, creating a unique appearance different from flat grain or quarter-sawn grain. This method has a low yield and a lot of waste during sawing, so it is considered an extremely luxurious use of wood. Furthermore, the fact that the suminagashi (marbling) pattern does not break and flows smoothly across the entire vessel is a unique pleasure of vertical grain cutting. You can enjoy the natural brushstrokes of black persimmon wood as if it were a single ink painting.

The rarity of the materials and the tailoring

Black persimmon itself is a rare phenomenon that appears only on persimmon trees that are several hundred years old, and its occurrence is left to nature. Furthermore, securing a beautiful pattern through vertical cutting is extremely difficult. In this work, the shading and flow of the ink pattern have been carefully considered and meticulously processed to achieve the most beautiful placement.

Harmony of utility and beauty

Though small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, this incense box has an exceptional presence. It's perfect for use in tea ceremonies, but also highly valuable as a work of art; opening the lid reveals the exquisite beauty of the wood grain. Its simple shape maximizes the beauty of the black persimmon wood's pattern and texture.

This is truly an exceptional piece, like holding a one-of-a-kind painting created by the wood itself in your hands.