Wōrunatto (rainbow walnut) tray by Masahito Ikeda

This wōrunatto (rainbow walnut) tray follows the proportions of obon (Japanese trays), which are notably intended to hold tea utensils or sweets. Crafted from a piece of walnut with exceptional aesthetic qualities, it reveals an astonishing richness of natural colors and a grain with almost pictorial movement. Its meticulously hand-worked surface and the natural curve of one of its edges highlight the singular beauty of this wood. The whole expresses a quiet elegance, true to Masahito Ikeda's contemporary sensibility.

The artisan
Masahito Ikeda, born in 1978 in Hyōgo and raised in Ōsaka, studied interior design at Seian Zōkei University and then completed professional training in carpentry in Matsubara, Ōsaka. He founded his brand, Thursday Furniture, in 2015 in Nishinomiya (Hyōgo Prefecture) and established his workshop in 2017 in Toyonaka (Ōsaka Prefecture). His work focuses on solid wood and reclaimed wood, with an attention to the traces of time and natural textures, and ranges from furniture to turned objects for the home.

Technique and decoration
The tray is crafted from wōrunatto (rainbow walnut), a name that evokes the particularly spectacular chromatic variations that walnut wood can develop. Prized in cabinetmaking and the manufacture of high-quality furniture, walnut is sought after for its stability, strength, and the beauty of its grain. Some pieces with particularly remarkable patterns are rare and highly sought after, where the meeting of different areas and the natural movement of the grain sometimes create compositions of exceptional richness, as on this tray. Here the colors blend in irregular bands and deep undulations, evoking an abstract landscape. The inner surface, delicately sculpted by hand, retains fine facets that catch the light, while one of the edges follows a natural curve of the wood. Masahito Ikeda thus preserves all the singularity of the material, whose spontaneous variations make it a unique object.

Place of manufacture
Japan (Toyonaka, Ōsaka Prefecture)

Dimensions
Length 32.5 cm - Width 11.4 cm - Height 1.8 cm

Weight
162 gr

Materials
Wōrunatto (rainbow walnut)

Period
Contemporary

Care instructions
Wipe after use with a soft, slightly damp cloth, avoid prolonged soaking, detergents, and direct heat. Do not put in the dishwasher, oven, or microwave.