Lidded Case, Sarasa Stripe Pattern on Washi
These little lidded cases called “Gosu (合子）” are usually used to keep incense balls or lip colours made with saffron extracts when lipsticks weren’t available. They are often made with ceramics, but Senro made one with Japanese zelkova, coated with washi Japanese paper and urushi lacquer.
¥110,000
In stock
Additional information
| Weight | 90 g |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 7.2 × 4 cm |
| Color | Gold, Green, Red |
| Maker | Senro Sato |
| Material | Urushi, Washi |
| Material | Japanese Zelkova |
Full Product Details
These little lidded cases called “Gosu (合子）” are usually used to keep incense balls or lip colours made with saffron extracts when lipsticks weren’t available. They are often made with ceramics, but Senro made one with Japanese zelkova, coated with washi Japanese paper and urushi lacquer.
This very light, tiny box delights your eyes with urushi-lacquered patterns in red, green and gold, called sarasa shima: sarasa translates as chintz and shima as stripes.
Sarasa is said to have been born in India. The textile with grand, colourful patterns had a universal appeal to East and West, spreading and merging with the local aesthetics. Japan was not the exception, to say the least. What caught the eyes of Japanese people in the Edo period was the deep crimson red: the time when 80% of everyday Japanese people were wearing Indigo-dyed “Japan blue”. Mr Sachio Yoshioka extensively writes about the difficulty of dyeing cotton cloth red. Imagine how vivid the patterns must have looked to the people then.
This little box offers the delight of keeping a fragment of the long-loved patterns in your daily setting. And your daily precious like rings and earrings will no longer miss where to come back to. 😉
Message from Senro:
This handicraft has been produced in a way that is completely non-polluting to our environment, utilising the wisdom, techniques and materials of our ancestors who have passed on their knowledge and skills from ancient times.
We would like to give it to you as a token of our wish that the path of today’s spiritual culture will become richer, and that respect for nature’s blessings will grow. This gift will continue to live on from the present day to the future.
We hope that you will use it daily, with loving care, and for many years to come.
Care of Use:
Avoid direct sunlight and UV rays.
Wash with lukewarm water and wipe well with a soft cloth. Carefully Remove water from the corners with a dry soft cloth so as to avoid water stains.
For oil stains, wash with a soft sponge using neutral detergent and rinse with lukewarm water.
To store for a long time without use, wrap in a cloth and store at room temperature.
Do not stack dishes of other materials, such as earthenware or porcelain, on top of urushiware in order to avoid scratches.
