This classic monograph by Japanese tea ceremony art researcher Iwao Ikeda, centered on the lacquer natsume (tea caddy) in the tea ceremony, deeply explores how Japanese traditional lacquer art integrates into the austere aesthetics of tea rituals, serving as a precious guide for tea practitioners and collectors. As a senior tea utensil expert, Ikeda continues his series of research; this book compiles the essence of years of verification, classifying natsume into Saga natsume, Negoro tea ware, Karamono tea ware, and works from the early tea ceremony period, revealing through selected masterpieces the evolution of lacquer art from the Muromachi to the Edo period, along with its unique craftsmanship. With color plates and detailed photography, it presents the layered maki-e, hiramaki, and chinkin techniques on the lacquer surfaces—from the exotic charm of Karamono natsume to the refined Zen elegance of Yamato-mono natsume, each piece like a still life in the tea room, carrying a thousand years of splendor.
