Where Sakura Meets Momiji: A Fantastical Season of Elegance
Written by Team MUSUBI
Sakura cherry and Japanese red maple: quintessentially Japanese trees that have given rise to a wealth of artistic admiration. With sakura blooming in early spring and red maple, or momiji, turning bright crimson in autumn, these motifs tend to be associated with seasonal changes and seasonal items. But did you know that these motifs can appear together to form something new? The combination of sakura and momiji is a specific type of pattern with a long and rich history in Japanese art. Read on to learn more about this unique design.
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Unkin: Clouds and Brocade
The combined pattern of cherry blossoms and red maple leaves in Japanese art is known by the evocative name of unkin, literally “clouds and brocade.” It is thought that the ephemeral, floating quality of cherry blossoms resembles the floating airiness of clouds, while the rich, vibrant colors of the red maple leaves resemble fine brocade.
To give a visual, here is a particularly fine example from Touan.
Looking at this decorative plate, you can imagine why Japanese poets felt moved to compare blossoms to clouds and leaves to brocade. Clusters of blooming sakura in gentle whites and pinks are interspersed with red maple in meticulously rendered gradients of crimson, gold, and green. The color application, at once bold and subtle, truly celebrates nature’s magnificence. The use of green for the hearts of some of the maple leaves and raised glazing on the stamens of the cherry blossoms are just two of this piece’s clever and naturalistic touches.
Gold outlining on the cherry petals recall sunlight through clouds, while the gold outlining and gold dust brushing the red maple into brilliance evoke the finest of silk brocades.
Rooted in Classical Poetry
The roots of the comparison of sakura to clouds and momiji to brocade lie in the Japanese poetic tradition. Particularly well-known examples come from the Kokin Wakashu, a collection of classical waka poetry commissioned by the Japanese emperor in the early tenth century.
A very rough translation of one particular poem is thus:
In the evening of autumn, on the banks of the flowing Tatsuta River,
The red maple leaves, as they reach the emperor’s honored eyes, appear as brocade.
In the morning of spring, the cherry blossoms of Yoshino’s mountains
Enter into the heart’s discernment as clouds!
The river and mountains mentioned are located in Nara Prefecture and have remained renowned through the centuries for their natural beauty, even today.
It is not entirely clear that the poem inspired the potters, but considering the vibrant cross-genre references common in the Japanese art and literary worlds, it is a popular theory.
In any case, the unkin motif gained popularity in kimono patterns and on tea ceremony bowls, and remains a beautiful example of Japanese aesthetic brilliance today.
There’s a reason this imagery has been beloved for over a thousand years!
We often see unkin pieces with rich detailing, like that of Touan’s decorative plate above, but that’s not the only unkin style out there. Also well-loved are pieces with a subdued elegance, like these Echizen lacquerware tiered bento boxes in black and red:
In this case, the refined pairing of a simple leaf and blossom above a softly swirling river brings out the luster of the lacquerware. Rather than overwhelming with magnificence, the pared-back design works as an accent, allowing the food within to take the spotlight—a clever and practical application of this classic motif.
Another way to bring together sakura and momiji is to combine separate pieces to create a set.
We’re particular fans of pairing these two golden glass sake cups from Yoshita Kasho, one with a design of cherry blossoms and the other, maple leaves.
Another favorite of ours already comes as a set—the Sakura and Autumn Leaves Sakazuki sake cups from Fukunishi-Sobe Shoten. Their golden elegance is a great fit for an attentive host.
Either of these pairings make for a timeless sake pour all year round.
A Motif Suited to Any Season
One of the wonderful things about the unkin motif is that it can be enjoyed any time of year. Cherry blossoms in full bloom and Japanese maple leaves at their peak will never appear at the same time in nature, and it is precisely this adventurous disregard for the separation of seasons that gives these items their allure.
The lacquer bento boxes above, for instance, can be the centerpiece of special events regardless of whether it’s spring, summer, autumn, or winter. New Year’s is actually a perfect time for this motif—and these bento boxes—to make an appearance, as jubako bento boxes are often used for serving special New Year’s dishes known as osechi, and unkin can be thought of an artistic linking of autumn and spring, just as winter links the seasons in the calendar.
In a similar spirit is this Kutani Ware flower vase, a lustrous creation featuring momiji and sakura on a deep teal background. The imaginary season depicted by unkin, sometimes called shunju, or “spring-autumn,” creates a fantastical atmosphere that opens the door to displaying flowers of any season, in any season.
The central flower on the vase is a fantasy combination of a red maple leaf and a cherry blossom, furthering the uniqueness and sedate whimsy of the piece.
The motif of ethereal cherry blossoms combined with vibrant Japanese red maple leaves is
classical and yet its essence feels delightfully modern. Grounded in poetry, long beloved as a pattern for kimono and matcha bowls, and carried through the modern day through all varieties of tableware and decor, pieces celebrating nature’s beauty in this fantastical season outside of time would make a special addition to any home.
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