Smart design incense holder
Details
Material:
Metal
Dimensions:
Length: 11cm
Width: 6cm
Height: 2.5cm
Care instructions
Special
At a glance
- Cast iron, Yamagata imono (山形鋳物), METI-designated traditional craft
- By Hisanori Masuda of Chushin Kobo; sole craftsman, founded 1997
- Lid holds incense stick whilst burning; ash falls into sealed lower chamber, keeping stored sticks clean
Most incense holders solve one problem. This one solves two.
The Smart Design holder by Chūshin Kōbō (鋳心ノ工房) is a cast iron box whose lid does double duty: a narrow slit holds a burning incense stick upright at the correct angle, whilst ash falls through into a sealed lower chamber next to the stored sticks, keeping them clean and undisturbed. When the stick is finished, replace the lid and the box returns to being storage. The surface pattern is inspired by the hane-ochi (feather-drop) technique historically used on Japanese tea ceremony iron kettles, applied here by hand to create a texture that catches the light differently depending on the angle. Made by Hisanori Masuda, founder and sole craftsman of Chūshin Kōbō in Yamagata, each piece is cast in the Yamagata imono (山形鋳物) tradition, a METI-designated craft, then finished with a thin coat of lacquer that prevents rust and gives the surface a quiet, dark sheen.
The kind of object that rewards a closer look.
* Incense sticks shown in the photos are not included