Urushi Lacquer Long Multi Tray L in 10 Colours | chanto

A long lacquered tray that changes with what you put on it

Cheese, Japanese sweets, sushi or a row of small objects: this long, slim tray takes on a different look depending on what you place on it, framed by its coloured urushi base. 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 use.

Choose from ten urushi colours: orange, purple, green, mauve, gray, turquoise blue, yellow, brown, white and pink.

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. 39.5 × 11.5 × 1.8 cm (15.6 × 4.5 × 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.