HALF-MOON TRAY – PALE PINK

Where it comes from. Echizen, in Fukui Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast, has made lacquerware for some 1,500 years and today produces most of the trays and bowls used in Japanese restaurants and inns. It is a district that knows how to make a tray survive daily service.

How it is made. The base is resin rather than wood, so the tray stays light, flat and free of warping. It is then finished with the district's coating techniques: a smooth matte pink built up in two coats, and a gold line laid along the rim. The reverse is coated black.

Why the half-moon. A hangetsu-bon, or half-moon tray, is the classic shape for a personal tray. The straight edge sits toward the diner, the curve gives the setting room, and one person's whole meal fits inside the line. Pink and gold is the palette of Hinamatsuri, Girls' Day on March 3 — the day families set out a small feast for their daughters — and of the spring table that follows.

How it is used in Japan. As an ozen: rice bowl at the front left, soup at the front right, small dishes behind, each person with their own tray. Also as a placemat under a lunch of several small dishes, or to carry tea and a sweet to a guest.

On your table. Under a small vase or a seasonal ornament, so the display has a base. Under a matcha bowl, with the whisk and scoop beside it, when you make tea. The tray each guest receives when you host a Japanese-style evening — a few small dishes and a cup, carried in together. Pair it with the black half-moon tray for a two-person set. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.