This vase is made from Yakusugi, a World Heritage Site in Japan. The beautiful grain never tires of looking at it. The vase's appearance changes depending on the angle. Yakusugi was registered as a World Heritage Site in 1993. Prior to that, in 1983, logging was banned in Japan. I've heard that this vase dates back to the 1960s-1970s. It was made before the logging ban was put into effect. It is an item that is no longer available. It was given to me by a collector who loved wood. It is in amazingly good condition. There are no visible scratches. It is a rare material and it is rare to find it in this condition. The surface is lacquered. The lighter is for comparison. I do not smoke, and the previous collector did not smoke either. The item does not have any odor. The base is probably maybe not Yakusugi. (There is no Yakusugi stamp, and the grain looks slightly different.) However, the grain remains beautiful. Size: Vase only: Height 18cm, Width 17cm, Weight 860g Base only: Height 3cm x Width 21cm x 12cm, Weight 370g