Contributing Artisans
Lacquerware: Shitsurindo The wooden tamatebako boxes were crafted by the lacquer artisans of the Shitsurindo workshop, purveyors to Daihonzan Eiheiji, one of the two head temples of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism.
Made to order using finger-jointing techniques, these masterful pieces are finished with a coating of black urushi lacquer applied by brush and left unpolished, producing a luscious, glossy appearance accentuated with gold leaf details. Metalwork: Takahisa Yoshikawa,
Otaka Ltd. The metal fittings of the tamatebako were crafted by blacksmith Takahisa Yoshikawa and metalwork manufacturer Otaka. On the Gold box, the fittings and three of the sides were adorned with gold leaf, while the Silver box was finished using the suminagashi marbling technique used in the decoration of Japanese swords.
Calligraphy: Fugaku Watanabe The handwriting on the Shitsurindo-made paulownia plaque that comes with each box is the work of calligrapher Fugaku Watanabe.
Furoshiki: Yamada Sen-I Co. Ltd The tamatebako come wrapped in a furoshiki cloth created by Yamada Sen-I, a Kyoto-based company established in 1937. Acrylic paint was used to adorn the corners with the same snake pattern as on the box, as well as the Hadate family crest and logo.
Poetry: Keita Takayanagi The inside of the lid features a New Year-themed tanka verse that evokes the first sunrise of the year to express how people work with the utmost care to supply a celebratory feast with the finest uni, the bounty of the ocean.