Picnic set with design of four seasonal flowers and Chinese children at play

Lacquered picnic sets were popular household items during the Edo period (1615–1868). Townspeople used them for seasonal outings, lunch during Kabuki performances, and other festive occasions. A standard picnic set consists of a case topped with a metal handle, tiered boxes for foods, a tray, four or five small serving dishes, and a sake container. Often the sake container was of a different material—such as porcelain or pewter—but in this set, a rectangular lacquered wooden container for sake is specially fitted to the case.

The set is covered on all visible surfaces with lacquer and fine sprinkled gold powders and flakes (makie). It is decorated with the designs of flowers of the four seasons and of Chinese children playing in the snow, making this picnic set appropriate for year-round use.