The Spirit of Noto: Urushi Artists of Wajima & Waves of Resilience

In Japanese, "Hiya" captures a moment of divine beauty—the beams of sunlight breaking through clouds, casting their radiant fingers upon the earth. Known as crepuscular rays, or “Angel’s Ladder,” this ethereal phenomenon inspires the design of the box. The top, lacquered in black Taka Maki-e, evokes cirrus clouds, while a single shaft of sunbeam splits the darkness.

 

On the sides, golden Maki-e and iridescent shells depict sunbeams piercing through a dense sky. As the box turns, the weather shifts—from soft drizzle yields to the appearance of a rainbow, a transformation that mirrors nature's fleeting. Inside, the lid reveals a hazy moon, its light reflected in a dewdrop-covered spider web delicately portrayed on the interior.

 

These motifs—sunbeams, rainbows, and dew-kissed webs—are revered across cultures for their spiritual resonance, and in Japanese tradition, they embody the divine presence within nature. The phrase 雲外蒼天 "Ungai-Souten," literally translates into “beyond the clouds, a blue sky,” conveys hope: that through effort, one can overcome challenges and find happiness. This exquisite box becomes a symbol of those hopeful moments—fleeting signs that, though challenges surround us, happiness lies just beyond.

- Onihira Keiji

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