Sinafu Serving Bowl

An ancient word meaning ‘elegantly hanging’, the term Shinafu inspires the Sinafu collection of lacquerware, designed by Kenichiro Oomori for Gato Mikio. Turned by hand in the region around Yamanaka, famed for its woodwork, using both modern techniques and traditional woodturning methods which date to the time that Nara was the capital of Japan in the 700’s, each Sinafu serving bowl is meticulously formed. As its namesake suggests, Sinafu’s designs are meant not only to express warm hospitality but to also quite literally make the movement of the hands appear more graceful, more elegant. Employing the tatekidori style of woodturning that uses cross-cut wood, in this case keyaki zelkova, a Japanese hardwood often used in the art of bonsai, the object can be turned with great precision resulting in an bowl of extraordinary quality; a long-lasting tool which will resist distortion over time and display the material’s natural grain beautifully. Soft and light to the touch, the skill of the Gato Mikio craftspeople is extraordinary. These exquisite bowls with black stain and transparent lacquer finish adorn the home with grace beyond the expected.