Incense container with scrolls

Items in the tokonoma
The decorative alcove, or tokonoma, is a small yet important space in the tearoom as the objects arranged there set the theme or tone of a gathering. As with all utensils, the host usually takes great care in selecting what to place in the tokonoma and how to arrange it. Often, we see a hanging scroll and a simple arrangement of flowers in a vase. An incense container in the tokonoma indicates to the guests that the host will not replenish the open hearth with charcoal during the gathering., During formal tea gatherings, the host often adds charcoal and incense into the brazier in front of the guests. The incense container (kogo) serves both as a functional utensil and an object to be admired.
Made in a Chinese Southern Song lacquer technique known in Japanese as tsuishu, this work has multiple layers of red, yellow, and black lacquer that have been intricately carved.