Takaoka Metalwork Kei Incense Burner

Takaoka Metalwork Kei Incense Burner

The name "Kei" evokes wisdom and quiet clarity, reflected in this incense burner's calm, rounded form. It rests on a distinctive stand decorated on both sides with a wave-and-plover (namichidori) motif, a classical Japanese design pairing ocean waves with small shorebirds that symbolizes safe passage and good fortune.

This piece is the work of Baba Chukan, a Takaoka copperware artisan, and is made using Takaoka Doki metal casting techniques that have been practiced in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, for more than 400 years. Artisans there pour molten metal into hand-formed molds and hand-finish each casting, a process that gives Takaoka metalwork its characteristic weight, texture, and durability.

How to Use

Place a layer of ash in the burner, then set an incense cone, stick, or piece of charcoal on top to burn. The double-sided flower stand keeps the burner elevated and protects the surface beneath it.

Product Details

• Artist: Baba Chukan (Takaoka copperware artisan)
• Material: Iron, with a PC (resin) wave-and-plover double-sided stand
• Size: Burner 8 x 8.8 x 7.7 cm (3.15 x 3.46 x 3.03 in.); Stand 21.5 x 28 cm (8.46 x 11.02 in.)
• Includes: Decorative box