Yamanaka Lacquerware Bulb: Sesame — product view
A hand lifting the stemmed lid from Bulb: Sesame on a lacquered table.
Bulb: Sesame closed on a dark tabletop in a softly lit interior.
A hand approaching the narrow stem of Bulb: Sesame on a dark tabletop.
The lid of Bulb: Sesame lifted toward the foreground with the open base on a table.
Bulb: Sesame shown closed as a compact bulb-like form on a refined interior table.
Yamanaka Lacquerware Bulb: Sesame — product view
A hand lifting the stemmed lid from Bulb: Sesame on a lacquered table.
Bulb: Sesame closed on a dark tabletop in a softly lit interior.
A hand approaching the narrow stem of Bulb: Sesame on a dark tabletop.
The lid of Bulb: Sesame lifted toward the foreground with the open base on a table.
Bulb: Sesame shown closed as a compact bulb-like form on a refined interior table.
Hana to Urushi LLC SKU: BJ_P_00027

Yamanaka Lacquerware Bulb: Sesame

Price
Regular price ¥31,386
Regular price Sale price ¥31,386
Save ¥-31,386
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Product Details

PRODUCT DETAILS

A compact lacquered form made to be opened

Bulb: Sesame turns a compact lidded form into a small moment of discovery. Its rounded natural-wood body, dark lacquered surface, and tapered lid create a silhouette that moves between tableware and sculpture. At 80 millimeters across and 95 millimeters high, this Yamanaka Lacquerware piece is easy to hold, open, and appreciate at close range.

USE & APPRECIATION

Begin with the silhouette

On a bedside table or low shelf, Bulb adds a small, rounded presence. Its deep Sesame finish keeps the color restrained while the rising lid gives the silhouette a distinctive point of interest.

Bulb: Sesame shown closed as a compact bulb-like form on a refined interior table.

Opening above a lacquered table

Open Bulb during a quiet moment at the table. The dark lacquer contrasts with the red surface beneath it, and the separate lid and body offer a new view of its carefully shaped wooden form.

A hand lifting the stemmed lid from Bulb: Sesame on a lacquered table.

A quiet place on the table

Leave a little space around Bulb on the table. The subdued Sesame color works with a dark surface, allowing the curved outline and light across the lacquer to become the details you notice.

Bulb: Sesame closed on a dark tabletop in a softly lit interior.

A hand approaching the lid

Reach for the lid and turn a passing glance into a closer encounter. Bulb's compact proportions invite gentle handling, revealing the transition from the tapered top to the full curve of the body.

A hand approaching the narrow stem of Bulb: Sesame on a dark tabletop.

The interior revealed at close range

With the lid lifted, take time to look inside as well as around the vessel. The continuous dark finish connects the two parts, giving this small object interest both open and closed.

The lid of Bulb: Sesame lifted toward the foreground with the open base on a table.

OBJECT PASSPORT / CARE & USE

Care & Handling

Care guide for Bulb: Sesame: do not use hard scrubbers, immerse it for long periods, expose it to direct sunlight, place it in a dishwasher, or use heating appliances.

Refrigeration and freezing are not permitted. Outdoor use is permitted, but direct sunlight remains prohibited.

OBJECT PASSPORT

Product details

Dimensions
80Φ×95Ｈ mm
Material
Natural wood (mizume-zakura); surface: lacquer finish
Product weight
60 g
Origin
Japan
Craft Heritage

CRAFT HERITAGE

Craft Heritage

Yamanaka Lacquerware dates to the late 16th century, when a group of woodturners moved into the area in search of suitable timber and began shaping wood on lathes. The craft became established around Yamanaka Onsen.

By the middle of the Edo period, artisans were making everyday objects such as bowls and trays, as well as souvenirs for visitors to the hot-spring town. Lacquering and maki-e techniques were introduced in the early 19th century, laying the foundation for the raised Yamanaka taka-maki-e practiced today.
How It’s Made

TRADITIONAL CRAFT PROCESS

How It’s Made

About the Making Process

Yamanaka Lacquerware is made through four principal stages: forming the wooden body, preparing the foundation, applying the final lacquer coat, and adding maki-e decoration.
Properly dried wood and precise turning help prevent distortion.
Although the foundation is hidden in the finished piece, it supports both the vessel's strength and the quality of the final lacquer surface.
The lacquer is built up through repeated coating and sanding, with curing carefully managed in response to humidity and weather.

1. Kiji (Wooden Body)
  • Zelkova and Japanese horse chestnut are the principal woods. Each blank is cut vertically along the grain to minimize warping.
  • The craftsperson shapes the wood on a lathe using handmade kanna and other turning tools. Advanced decorative turning may add sensuji grooves or zogan inlay.
2. Shitaji (Foundation)
  • A mixture of lacquer and jinoko powder is applied and sanded.
  • Repeating this process strengthens the wooden body and creates a smooth surface.
3. Uwanuri (Final Lacquer Coat)
  • Black, vermilion, or another lacquer is applied with a brush.
  • The final coat is applied with great care to prevent even the finest airborne dust from settling on the surface.
4. Maki-e
  • Gold, silver, or other metal powder is sprinkled over motifs drawn in lacquer.
  • Subjects range from traditional designs and scenes of nature to geometric patterns, creating a finely detailed decorative finish.
Meet the Maker

MEET THE MAKER

Meet the Maker

MAKER · YAMANAKA, ISHIKAWA

Yamanaka Lacquerware, Seen Through a Floral Eye

YUIYU brings together the perspective of floral design and the accumulated skills of Yamanaka lacquerware. The brand explores organic forms inspired by nature and new possibilities in color through wooden lacquerware for contemporary interiors and daily life.

Portrait of a smiling woman in a white blouse.
Naoko Tanabe, Connecting Flowers and Craft

Naoko Tanabe is the floral designer behind YUIYU. She developed the brand to connect the traditions of Yamanaka with contemporary life, and to bring attention to the people whose work is often present in an object but absent from its story.

During the brand's development, Tanabe traveled repeatedly between Tokyo and Yamanaka Onsen. Color and form were not settled on paper alone. They were refined through prototypes and conversations with the craftspeople who understood how different woods, tools, and layers of lacquer would respond. When a color appeared uneven or brighter than intended, or a shape needed to work better in the hand, the design returned to the workshop for another round of judgment.

Many Hands, One Object

Yamanaka lacquerware is built through specialized work. One person may turn the wooden form on a lathe; others may refine lacquer, prepare the ground, or apply and wipe successive layers. YUIYU’s lacquerware takes shape through this collaboration among specialist craftspeople.

Techniques passed down in Yamanaka lacquerware include rokuro-biki, or lathe turning, which shapes the wood; sensuji, which creates fine grooves on a rotating surface; and fuki-urushi, in which lacquer is repeatedly applied and wiped back to reveal the wood grain. These techniques reflect specialist knowledge of wood and lacquer, together with the careful judgment of craftspeople.

Tradition as a Living Relationship

The name YUIYU repeats the Japanese character *yui*—to bind or connect. It expresses a wish to connect people, nature, culture, and the skills held in Yamanaka Onsen. The aim is not to make tradition appear modern by removing its history. It is to create a new reason for that history to remain in use: at the table, in a room, and in the rituals of everyday life.
Shipping Information

Shipping to the United States

We currently ship online orders to all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., including Alaska and Hawaii. U.S. territories and countries other than the United States are not currently included.

Estimated arrival

Estimated arrival is usually within 5–10 business days after payment and order confirmation. This is an estimate and not a guaranteed delivery date. Timing may vary because of the destination, carrier conditions, customs review, weather, remote-area service, or other circumstances outside our reasonable control.

Shipping charges

Enter your delivery address at checkout to review the available delivery option, shipping charge, and complete order total before payment.

Duties and import taxes

U.S. orders are shipped on a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) basis, regardless of order value. Where duties, import taxes, or related import charges apply, the amount collected by BRAND JAPAN is shown at checkout. You should not ordinarily be asked by the carrier to pay those charges again upon delivery. If a carrier requests an unexpected import payment, do not pay it immediately; contact us with your order number and the carrier's notice.

Damage or incorrect delivery

If the parcel or item arrives damaged, contact us within 48 hours of delivery. For an incorrect or incomplete order, contact us within 14 days. Keep the item, outer box, inner packaging, and shipping label, and prepare photographs showing their condition. Do not return an item until we provide instructions.

Read the full Shipping Policy for carrier, address-change, delay, and undeliverable-shipment details.

Questions? Email store@brand-japan.ne.jp. Support hours are Monday–Friday, 10:00–18:00 Japan Standard Time, excluding Japanese public holidays.

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