Plants and Flowers in Tokyo by Kei Narujima　　東京の草花 - なるじまけい: Gourds in Various Forms

Gourds in Various Forms - Netsuke, Pickle.....　ひさごの根付、奈良漬け、炒め物

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is a netsuke sculpture titled "Gourd," carved from boxwood by Kuya Nakamura. It's on show at Tokyo National Museum.

"Gourd," boxwood by Kuya Nakamura, 3cm
「ひさご」黄楊中村空哉作

The netsuke below is "Gourd," too, carved from ivory by Ichiro Inada, also at the museum.

"Gourd," ivory by Ichiro Inada, 3cm
「ひさご」象牙稲田一郎作

And the dark brown tiny things on a white plate in the photo below are sliced gourd narazuke pickle I bought at Imanishi Honten, a narazuke pickle store in the Nara prefecture. They are all 3cm long but still keep the shape of gourds!

3cm long narazuke pickles of gourds
瓢箪の奈良漬

Last but not least is two fruits of bitter "gourd"!

Bitter melons or gourds ゴーヤ又は苦瓜

Bitter gourds ended up like this...
ゴーヤの成れの果て｡｡｡

See? Japan fully utilizes gourds for art, pickles and home made dishes. But not only that. Gourds have several Japanese names, i.e., the first two netsuke gourds are "hisago," the second pickled gourd "hyotan" and the third one "go-ya" or "nigauri." But no matter what they are called, I love gourds!! (Gourds also play an important role in "Seibee and Gourd" by Naoya Shiga, my favorite Japanese novelist.)

If you wanna know more about tiny pickled or narazuke gourds, which go well with saki🥢🍶, read "Nara Cuisine - Narazuke Pickled Gourds"!

If you love netsuke like me, read the following posts, too!

- Symbol of Peace? - Netsuke & Halloween
- Japanese Saying: Netsuke Titled "A-Hum"!
- Netsuke - Japanese Lovelorn Ghost Puts a Curse Saying "Urameshiya..."
- Kawaii Two-Legged Yokai Goblin Netsuke Sculpture

- Kawaii Netsuke Jedi

- Watermelon Netsuke Carving With Makie Lacquer Painting
- Netsuke - Jurojin God
- Netsuke - Dog Days

- Netsuke - Muskmelon

- Netsuke and Jello - Goldfish

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３センチほどの根付は二つとも「ひさご」。一枚目は黄楊製で中村空哉作。二枚目は象牙で稲田一郎作です。

白いお皿に乗っているのは奈良の今西本店の「瓢箪の奈良漬🥢🍶」。

そして最後はゴーヤとゴーヤチャンプルーです。

ひさご、瓢箪、ゴーヤ、苦瓜、名前多すぎ～！でも根付でも、奈良漬けでも、チャンプルーでも全部大好きです。（ちなみに志賀直哉の「清兵衛と瓢箪」も大好きです！）

根付がお好きな方は以下の記事もどうぞ！