Four-case inro showing two birds seated on branch of tree, two birds above flowering azalea, 19th century, Jōkasai VIII, Japanese, b. 1835, 2 3/4 × 2 1/8 × 7/8 in. (6.99 × 5.4 × 2.22 cm), Lacquer, silver ground, mura nashiji, gold and colored togidashi, Japan, 19th century, This medicine container (inrō) shows two sets of delicately rendered birds sitting on the branches of a blossoming cherry tree. Though the background has dulled with age, at one point the bright silver (ginji) ground would have shone vividly. This was achieved by coating a granular dusting of silver onto the wet lacquer, and once dried, grinding and shining the surface. The gold maki-e detailing in the blossoms of the cherry trees and inquisitive eyes of the birds offers a striking contrast to the dusk background.