Preserved Flower Art Piece "Hanakogo"

A ceramic that opens into a landscape — and a scent that follows

An object that rewards the moment you open it.
HANAKŌGŌ — "flower incense container" — takes its form from the kōgō, the small lidded ceramic used in Japanese tea ceremony to hold incense. The vessel here holds something different: a miniature landscape of preserved and dried flowers, arranged into a scene that has no name. The ceramic is cast in an organic shape — something between a river stone and a forest seed — and sits easily in the palm. Open the lid and the colors are immediate.

The scent arrives before you look for it.
A few drops of essential oil are applied to each piece before shipping, so the fragrance is present from the first moment the lid is lifted. Six scent variants are available, each composed by a perfumer to extend the mood of the landscape inside: yuzu, hinoki, and rose in 色風 (Color Wind); shiso, plumeria, and linden in 彩風 (Blush Wind); shell ginger, kaffir lime leaf, and jasmine in 爽風 (Lush Wind); Iyokan citrus, iris, and marigold in 光風 (Light Wind); Japanese iris, water parsley, and galbanum in 静風 (Rainy Wind); magnolia, bergamot, and camphor in 愁風 (Ripe Wind). The standard edition includes a small amount of oil pre-applied. The with-oil set adds a 5ml bottle — approximately 130 drops — for those who want to refresh the scent over time.

The maker: Norihiko Kamei / AME
Kamei is a visual artist and ikebana master based in Kita-Kamakura. He graduated from Tokyo Zokei University Graduate School in 2007 and holds a teaching certification in the Sogetsu school of ikebana. His work has been exhibited in the Netherlands, France, and Germany. AME — his art product brand — is built on a single premise: natural landscapes, compressed to fit in the palm of your hand. HANAKŌGŌ is among the smallest objects in the series — and among the most complete. The vessel is wrapped in ink-black cotton cloth, in the manner of the turmeric-dyed fabric traditionally used to protect tea ceramics, and shipped in a custom paulownia box.

Flower color and arrangement vary by piece and will differ from product photographs. After approximately one year, the colors begin to fade gradually — the landscape slowly becoming something quieter than it started.

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Specifications

Vessel: Diameter approx. 2.2 in × H 1.5 in (55 × 39 mm)
Paulownia box: W 4.6 × D 3.2 × H 3.1 in (117 × 82 × 78 mm)
Materials: Ceramic, preserved flowers, dried flowers
With-oil set includes: Blended essential oil 5 ml (approx. 130 drops)
Display life: Approx. 1 year — colors fade gradually thereafter
Scent variants:
色風 Color Wind — yuzu, hinoki, rose
彩風 Blush Wind — shiso, plumeria, linden
爽風 Lush Wind — shell ginger, kaffir lime leaf, jasmine
光風 Light Wind — Iyokan citrus, iris, marigold
静風 Rainy Wind — Japanese iris, water parsley, galbanum
愁風 Ripe Wind — magnolia, bergamot, camphor