Natsume: Chu, Naka-tsugi, Lacquer over Composite Wood Material

A natsume or usuchaki is one of the traditional containers for Matcha tea powder for usucha, or thin tea in the Japanese Tea Ceremony. A natsume comes is several sizes, shapes, colors and compositions.

Core Material:
This natsume is constructed over a traditional "composite" substrate (wood Powder mixed with resin). Careful examination of the rim, interior walls, and nakatsugi seam reveals no exposed wood grain or fiber structure. The uniform density and precision seam alignment are consistent with molded "composite" construction widely used in refined Japanese lacquerware from the late Shōwa through Heisei periods.

Box Label Clarification:
The original box label includes the term 栃 (tochi), which in modern lacquerware practice often refers to a traditional model or category rather than a guarantee of solid wood core. Physical evidence confirms this example is not wood-core, and there is no conflict between the labeling and the observed construction.

This determination is documented with annotated photographic evidence and reflects Tea Dogu’s commitment to transparency and scholarly accuracy.