Home / Reading / Types of Natsume
READING — GUIDE
Medium or flat, plain black or gold. A measure for choosing the small lacquered caddy that sits in the palm.
The natsume is the lacquered container for thin-tea matcha, named for its resemblance to the jujube fruit. Size comes first, and there are three: when in doubt, take the medium — it is the standard, and serves every procedure.
| Ō-natsume (large) | An imposing stance; sometimes used in place of a chaire for thick tea. |
|---|---|
| Naka-natsume (medium) | The standard size and the most widely available. The one to start with. |
| Ko-natsume (small) | Small and endearing — for the travelling cabinet and small rooms. |
| Hira-natsume (flat) | Low and wide. Reads cool for thin tea in the brazier season. |
| Shiribari | Swelling at the base. Settles firmly, with a composed air. |
Plain black
Layer upon layer of black lacquer and nothing else. Rikyū’s basic taste, at home in any room and any season — and with no ornament to hide behind, the quality of the lacquer shows plainly.
For a first caddy, plain black never goes wrong.
Vermilion beneath
Vermilion ground under a translucent top coat. With use the red beneath begins to show through. Especially beautiful under lamplight.
A finish that ripens — worth living with.
Gold and silver
Designs drawn in gold and silver powder — Japan’s signature lacquer technique, and the natsume’s great showpiece. Seasonal flowers and landscapes.
Match the motif’s season to the day of the gathering.
Mother-of-pearl
Thin shell inlaid into the lacquer, shifting blue and iridescent as the light moves. It comes alive at an evening gathering.
Check carefully for lifted or missing shell.
Paper and lacquer
Layered paper finished with lacquer — very light, with a quiet wabi surface. The technique of Hiki Ikkan, one of the Senke jisshoku.
Extremely light, and especially vulnerable to moisture.
Bare wood
Lightly finished so the grain shows through. Suits a plain room, or the austere weeks of nagori.
Sensitive to changes in humidity — store with care.
The natsume is not the only vessel for thin tea. The family is called usuchaki, and the names change with the form; the natsume is simply the most widespread of them.
| Nakatsugi | Cylindrical, with the lid meeting at the middle of the body. The other basic form. |
|---|---|
| Fubuki | A nakatsugi with the top and bottom edges chamfered. Named for drifting snow. |
| Kinrinji | A cylinder with a deep lid, said to descend from Emperor Go-Daigo. |
| Oshiroi-toki | Taken by mitate from a cosmetics container. Small and charming. |
| Yakki | From a medicine jar. A slender, upright stance. |
| Zungiri | Cut off flat at the top. A decisive, clean-cut shape. |
A maki-e natsume is chosen so its motif matches the day: cherry in spring, fireflies and flowing water in summer, pampas and the moon in autumn, snow-rings and pine in winter. Plain black belongs to no season, which is exactly why one is worth owning.
A full year of motif pairings is set out on the 24 Solar Terms page.
| Lacquer condition | Cracks, flaking, dulling. Sun-fading cannot be reversed. |
|---|---|
| Fit of the lid | A good caddy’s lid settles with a gentle sigh. Rattling is a warning. |
| Maki-e wear | Gold wears with use — zoom in and confirm the outlines survive. |
| Box & maker | A signed box, and origins such as Wajima or Yamanaka, guide the price. |
Parts and handling are on the natsume page.
