Incense containers. Also called kōbako 香箱. Small, lidded containers usually made of lacquer or ceramic, and sometimes wood, shell or metal, for storing the aromatic wood burned as incense. Kōgō are considered tea utensils because the incense chips kōboku 香木 and pastille nerikō 練香 are fed into the charcoal ashes used to heat the kettle. Kōgō were also displayed on kobukusa 古袱紗 (small cloth wrappers) or kamikamashiki 紙釜敷 (paper kettle-rest) in waiting rooms *machiai 待合 or *shoin 書院 style tearooms. The early taste for Chinese wares was usurped when Korean and native wares were integrated into the tea ceremony; they are classified as *wamono 和物 or *karamono 唐物, depending on the country where they were produced. kōgō are of three general types: royō 炉用 (for the sunken hearth in winter), furoyō 風炉用 (for the portable brazier in summer), and ro・furo kenyō 炉・風炉兼用 (for all seasons). Royō kōgō are made in a great variety of foreign and domestic styles. The 1855 Katamono kōgō ichiran 形物香合一覧 (List of Cast Ceramic Incense Containers) lists Kōshi 交趾 (Tonkin), *sometsuke 染付 and seiji 青磁 among Chinese the ceramics used, and *rakuyaki 楽焼, Ninsei 仁清, *shinoyaki 志野焼, *oribeyaki 織部焼, *igayaki 伊賀焼, and *shigarakiyaki 信楽焼 among the Japanese. For furoyō, red lacquer carving, tsuishu 堆朱, cunxing zonsei 存星, bracken-curls guri 屈利, and mother-of-pearl inlay *raden 螺鈿 were popular for karamono, and gold and silver powder *maki-e 蒔絵, kamakura carving kamakurabori 鎌倉彫, and papier-mache lacquerwork, ikkanbari 一閑張 were common among wamono-style pieces. For ro and furo kōgō, clam hiōgigai 檜扇貝 (fan shell), sahari 砂張, and cloisonné were popular. Kōgō should not be confused with *kōro 香炉 or incense burners.
