Japan Antique Roadshow

Description

High-quality wooden incense holder for use with Japanese tea ceremony (sado).  These vessels are called kougou in Japan where they are used to store aromatic wood chips which are burned at certain points during a formal tea ceremony.  They are also sometimes set out as display objects within special waiting rooms called machiai where guests may relax before the ceremony begins or during scheduled interludes.

About the Listed Item

This lovely incense holder dates from the mid Japanese Showa period (1926-1989) or before.  The incense holder is made of wood with silver and gold paint lining the inside surfaces.  The holder is in fair condition though it has clearly seen much past use and is worn with marks and scratches from handling.  Decorative patterns which were possible kamon family crests were once visible on the lid are now quite worn and faded.  Click here to see more kougou!

Size:
Height: 1.1 inches (2.7 centimeters)
Diameter (across top): 2.7 inches (7.0 centimeters)
Weight: 1.6 ounces (45 grams)

Click here to see more tea ceremony items!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

Incense in Japanese Culture

Incense has played an important role in Japanese culture for centuries in both religious and secular life.  The Japanese incense ceremony called kodo is less well known than the Japanese tea ceremony though many consider the incense ceremony more refined and harder to master than the art of tea.  Incense was introduced into Japan along with Buddhist during the 6th century where it was quickly adopted for use with Japan’s native religion, Shinto.  Japanese incense burners range in style and size from small, unobtrusive bowls to ornate works of art in metal or ceramic.

item code: R3S6B2-0003715
ship code: L1650