Made by chanto · Hikone, Shiga
Urushi Lacquer Multi Tray M in 10 Colours | chanto
Meet the maker
Hikone, Shiga
A lacquerware brand from Inoue, a Buddhist altar maker of more than 100 years in Hikone, Shiga. Created with designer Takumi Shimamura,...
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A colourful lacquered tray for a drink and a little treat
Picture serving tea and biscuits to a guest on a tray like this. The M size is just right for a drink and a small sweet, and it pairs beautifully with chanto’s espresso cups. The top is a plain wooden surface of the kind used for chopping boards, so you can cut cheese on it with a knife and wash it thoroughly after serving food. It also looks lovely displaying small interior objects or collectables.
Its biggest attraction is the choice of ten urushi colours: orange, purple, green, mauve, gray, turquoise blue, yellow, brown, white and pink. Take your time choosing the one that suits the way you will use it.
Colours only a craftsman can repeat
What makes chanto stand out is its vivid coloured urushi, shades you rarely see in lacquerware. Coloured lacquer changes subtly with temperature and humidity, so mixing exactly the same colour again and again is one of the hardest things to do. chanto’s craftsman reproduces each complex colour every time; the skill is in what you do not notice.
Each piece is finished by the workshop; depending on the colour and quantity, it may take about 1–2 weeks to ship. Delivered in chanto’s original box.
About chanto
chanto comes from Hikone in Shiga Prefecture, a town with some 300 years of history in making Buddhist altars. The skills behind those altars, lacquering, woodworking, gold leaf and carving, first developed to make armour for the Hikone domain. Inoue, an altar maker of more than 100 years, created chanto with designer Takumi Shimamura to bring this craftsmanship into modern life. In the local dialect, “chanto” describes sitting up straight and doing things properly. The brand’s concept is the café: just as cafés have become part of everyday life, chanto hopes urushi lacquerware can become an everyday essential again.
Specifications
- Size: approx. 25 × 16 × 1.8 cm (9.8 × 6.3 × 0.7 in)
- Material: wood, urushi lacquer (coloured lacquer on the underside and edges)
- Colours: 10
- Made in Japan
Care
- No special care is needed. Wash with an ordinary sponge and dish soap.
- Wipe off water droplets with a cloth rather than leaving it to air-dry, as minerals in tap water can leave white marks.
- Not suitable for dishwashers, dish dryers or microwaves.
- Urushi lacquer gradually changes in tone with age and use, part of its character.
The maker behind this piece
chanto
Hikone, Shiga
A lacquerware brand from Inoue, a Buddhist altar maker of more than 100 years in Hikone, Shiga. Created with designer Takumi Shimamura, chanto applies the town’s centuries-old urushi and woodworking skills to colourful, café-style tableware for everyday life.
