Echizen Floral Wooden Plate — Hand-Carved Japanese Ash
Echizen Floral Wooden Plate — Hand-Carved Japanese Ash
Japanese  Lacquerware

Echizen Floral Wooden Plate — Hand-Carved Japanese Ash

$282.80
( / )
Retail price. Pro trade pricing after login. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Please allow at least 1 week for order processing and shipping. This may vary depending on seasonality and stock situation. For full details, see our Shipping Policy.

Hand-carved Japanese ash shaped into an open flower by an Echizen workshop founded in 1930. 12.6 cm for a single bite; 20 cm for a composed course.

Each plate is carved from a single piece of tamo — Japanese ash — with no joints or laminated sections. The rim is shaped by hand into the workshop’s distinctive open-flower design. Grain figure and color vary naturally from piece to piece.

Using Echizen coating techniques, the plate is finished in clear urethane rather than urushi. Several clear urethane base coats are applied, with natural drying and sanding after each coating step. A single clear urethane topcoat is then applied. The front, back, and edges are coated separately, followed by approximately one month of natural drying.

The clear urethane coating is water-repellent and helps resist oil staining during normal table service. The plate washes with water and mild detergent. It does not go in the dishwasher or the microwave.

Kawada is a small district in Sabae, Fukui — the center of Echizen lacquerware, a production region that accounts for roughly 80% of Japan’s lacquerware for commercial foodservice. The workshops there are family-scale and sit among the houses rather than in an industrial park. The one behind these plates was founded in 1930.

Ayako, Umami Curator at The House of Umami, has made several trips to Kawada. The workshops are scattered through the village, and she has visited a number of them — small rooms, a few people, wood worked one piece at a time. Carrying these plates is her answer to what she saw there.

The 20 cm takes a composed course and is the size held in stock. The 12.6 cm takes a single bite, a sweet, or a cup; a 30 cm serves as a shared or service plate. Both of those are made to order. All three are shallow and sit low on the table.

Solid tamo (Japanese ash), carved from a single piece and shaped by hand. Clear urethane finish. Made in Sabae, Fukui, Japan.

**Finished using Echizen coating techniques:** multiple clear urethane base coats, naturally dried and sanded between coating steps, followed by a single clear urethane topcoat. Front, back, and edges are coated separately. After the final topcoat, each plate dries naturally for approximately one month.

**Each plate is hand-finished;** grain figure and color vary slightly from piece to piece.

Not dishwasher or microwave safe.

20 cm / 7.87 in (200 × 15 mm) — Single plate · Set of 2 — In stock
12.6 cm / 4.96 in (126 × 10 mm) — Made to order
30 cm / 11.81 in — Made to order

Sets of 12 are available to professional buyers.

The 20 cm is the size we hold in stock.
The 12.6 cm and the 30 cm are made to order in whatever quantity you need — contact us for lead time.

Sizes are given as the finished diameter, matching the workshop’s own specification.
Each plate is carved from a single piece, so grain figure and color vary naturally.

Wash and dry before first use.
Serve directly on the surface. The water-repellent urethane finish helps protect the wood from moisture and oil staining during normal table service. Wipe or wash the plate promptly after use.

#Pairing profile
Ash is pale and open-grained, so it carries dark and saturated plating well — soy glazes, miso, chocolate, berries, sashimi, and lightly dressed fish. Against white porcelain it reads warm; against slate or steel it softens the setting. The petal rim naturally frames centered compositions without a conventional rim line.

#Application by dish
・**Amuse-bouche:** the 12.6 cm holds one or two bites to open a tasting menu.
・**Sashimi and crudo:** the 20 cm gives raw or lightly dressed fish a pale, low-profile backdrop.
・**Wagashi and petits fours:** one sweet, centered, with generous space around it.
・**Cheese course:** two or three pre-portioned pieces on the 20 cm.
・**Bread and butter:** the 12.6 cm as a service plate at each cover.
・**Chocolates and mignardises:** the petal rim separates pieces without a divider.
・**Tea and coffee service:** the 12.6 cm under a cup, in place of a saucer.
・**Condiments and oshinko:** pickles, salt, citrus wedges, alongside a main plate.
・**Nigiri and temaki:** two to four pieces on the 20 cm at the counter.
・**Underliner:** the 12.6 cm beneath a soba choko or sauce bowl; the 20 cm beneath a donburi.

Hand-wash with warm water, mild detergent, and a soft sponge. Rinse and dry with a cloth. Do not soak the plate or leave it standing in water.

Not dishwasher or microwave safe. Do not use abrasive pads, scouring powder, or bleach.

Store away from direct sunlight, radiators, and prolonged damp — solid wood moves with heat and humidity.

No oiling or re-coating is required. With hand-washing and dry storage, the plate is designed for long-term use.

#Q. Is this Echizen lacquerware? Is the finish urushi?
A. The plate is made by an Echizen workshop founded in 1930. The finish itself is clear urethane, not urushi; no urushi lacquer is used in this product.

#Q. Can I cut or portion food directly on the plate?
A. No. A knife can damage the urethane coating, so use this as a serving plate rather than a cutting surface. Portion elsewhere and plate afterwards; for a cheese course, cut on a board and transfer.

#Q. Will oily or strongly flavored food mark the surface?
A. The water-repellent urethane finish helps resist oil staining and reduce absorption. Clean the plate promptly after use rather than leaving food standing on it.

#Q. Does the plate need oiling or seasoning before first use?
A. No. Because the plate has a clear urethane finish, no oiling or seasoning is needed before use.

#Q. If I order the set of two, will the plates match?
A. Not exactly. Each plate is carved from a single piece of ash, so grain figure and color vary naturally from piece to piece. Expect visible variation between the two plates in a set.