Takaoka Metalwork Flower and bird six-sided mattori Incense Burner

Takaoka Metalwork Flower and bird six-sided mattori Incense Burner

The six-sided (rokumen) body of this incense burner is divided into individually framed panels (madori), each one decorated with a flower-and-bird (kacho) design. The faceted silhouette and detailed panel work give the piece a jewel-box quality that rewards close viewing from every angle.

This piece is a work of Takaoka copperware (Takaoka douki), a metal-casting craft from Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, with a history of more than 400 years dating back to the early Edo period. Local artisans use traditional sand-mold casting to shape the faceted body, then hand engrave each panel and apply a lacquer-finish plating that gives the surface its rich, lustrous tone. This example was crafted by the Takaoka artisan Yoshihide Nosaku.

How to Use

Fill the bowl partway with incense ash, then place a lit incense cone, cored charcoal, or an incense stick into the ash. The metal body helps diffuse the fragrance evenly through the room, and the piece also makes an elegant display object even when not in use.

Product Details

Material: Copper, lacquer-finish plating
Size: 11 cm diameter x 15.5 cm height (4.33 x 6.10 in)
Includes: Paulownia wood box