Hazy Moon Lacquerware Side Plate

This item is a beautifully crafted wooden plate with a hazy moon motif created with gold leaves from Kanazawa.

This plate is about 18 cm (7 in) and extremely light and easy to hold. The deep black color of the lacquer exquisitely expresses the calmness of a dark night sky, and the delicate and random haze over the full moon is depicted by the gilded gold leaves. The sharp silhouette of the moon against the deep shine of black lacquer will add a modern touch to your dining table. 

It is just the right size for a single serving. Plate sushi or small ball-shaped colorful temarizushi. Serve desserts like a Japanese-style confectionary, wagashi with a  bowl of matcha tea. 

At Hakuichi, experienced craftsmen stretch out about 2 g (0.07 oz) of gold into a thickness of 1/10,000 of a millimeter and skilled artisans gild the gold leaves onto each plate. Thin gold leaves can be torn in a single touch, but it’s the fragility of the gold leaf that creates the mystical impression of a hazy moon.

Skilled craftsmen of Yamanaka Lacquerware create the lacquerware plate.
Woodturning craftsmen carve out the base of the plates from carefully selected pieces of wood, then lacquer craftsmen apply multiple coats of black lacquer by repeating the arduous process of brushing on and then wiping off the lacquer. The artistry of the even brush strokes of lacquer against the natural curves of the wood grains is remarkable.