Since the sixteenth century, hand-cut bamboo vases used in tea gatherings have been at the heart of Japan’s austere and refined wabi-sabi aesthetic. This vase was cut from a section of mature bamboo, the prominent node a constant reminder of these humble origins. Matsumoto delicately polished the bamboo’s surface to reveal the underlying grain and texture of this natural material. Three metal bars on the side reinforce the vase’s structure and suggest ideas of strength and stability.