Seigaiha Waves in Kyoto Clay
The Seigaiha motif—layered ocean waves symbolizing calm seas and enduring fortune—covers this sake cup not through painting but through Kawarinuri, a lacquer layering technique that builds depth you can feel under your fingertips. The cup itself is Kyoto ware, shaped in a ceramic tradition spanning a thousand years.
Born of Kyoto's Heritage: This piece too is authentic Kyo-yaki pottery, handcrafted using time-honored techniques and refined by centuries of Japanese artistry.
Learn more → The Art and Technique of Kyoto Ware
A Single Gold Line
The restoration is the work of Keiko Hata, who studied urushi through graduate research at Kyoto City University of Arts (est. 1880), completing the full lacquer discipline from woodworking to gold application. Her background in Buddhist statue conservation shapes her approach: precise, unhurried, and governed by the material. Over four months, she refined a single fracture with natural urushi lacquer and 24K gold — one restrained line crossing the wave pattern, drawing on a discipline passed down through generations of Japanese lacquer artists.
Beyond the Gold Line
Most kintsugi concludes with gold along the fracture, yet Japan's lacquer heritage has always held room for the artist to continue creating beyond the seam. The Seigaiha waves layered across this cup are an ancient symbol of calm seas and enduring fortune — a wish carried forward from artist to owner. Kintsugi and kawarinuri decoration rarely converge on a single vessel; the combination demands training across the full range of urushi disciplines. Here, a gold line crosses the waves as though charting a course toward the collector who will hold it next.
