寒さの深まる季節にひときわ鮮やかに色づく落葉低木、灯台躑躅（どうだんつつじ）。冷え込みが強いほど赤は深みを増し、ときに朱と黄色が混ざり合うような繊細なグラデーションを見せます。本作は、冬へと向かう季節の中で凛と輝くその姿を主題としています。

香合の外側には、灯台躑躅の葉の色の移ろいを描き、金粉とプラチナ粉の蒔絵を施しました。蓋を開けた内側には細かく砕いた夜光貝を貼り並べる螺鈿（らでん）の技法で、木洩れ陽のような穏やかで奥行きのある光を表しました。自然の中に息づく生命の気配、心がふっとほどける感覚を重ねています。

Enkianthus perulatus, known in Japan as dōdan-tsutsuji, is a deciduous shrub that turns especially vivid as the cold deepens. The stronger the chill, the richer its red becomes, at times revealing delicate gradations where vermilion and yellow seem to merge. This work centers on its poised radiance as it stands quietly on the threshold of winter.

The exterior of the incense container depicts the shifting colors of its leaves, rendered in maki-e with gold and platinum powders sprinkled over urushi lacquer. Inside the lid, finely crushed mother-of-pearl is inlaid using the technique of raden, creating a gentle, layered light reminiscent of sunlight filtering through trees. Through these materials and techniques, the quiet vitality that breathes within nature is evoked, along with a subtle sensation of release—as if the heart softly unwinds.

φ: 7cm x H: 3cm (Photography by Satoshi Okui)