One of the glories of Spring in Kyoto is the wild, mauve wisteria which climbs through the surrounding forests. On this piece the artist has captured the scene in a striking sinuous large-scale design of pine in gold makie, through which the wisteria vine trails, its flowers enlived by the choice of shell inlay set against a brilliant black roiro ground. Contrasting the bold strength of the external design a fitted internal tray depicts delicate arching grasses realised in gold and silver makie against a subtly banded ground. The interior of the box is nashiji.

This type of box was used for the storing of aloes-wood, jin-ko, and the utensils of the incense ceremony, imparting subtle fragrance to a room and its contents.