The theme of this design of cart wheels in a stream reflects the Heian practice of soaking the wheels of ox carts in water to prevent them from drying out and cracking. A popular theme in the Heian period, this design can also be found on mirrors and the decorated paper used for decorated sutra scrolls. The outer design consists of a ground of irregularly shaped gold particles densely sprinkled on black urushi, on which are depicted flowing waters and soaking cart wheels, represented with gold in aogin togidashi makie and mother-of-pearl inlay. In the urushi technique of togidashi makie, metal powder such as gold or silver is sprinkled on a design executed in urushi, which is then covered with another layer of urushi; after hardening, the entire surface is polished to reveal the design. Aogin, a blue-tinged gold colour, is a mixture of gold and silver that produces a striking, changing hue depending on the light. Raden is a technique in which materials such as mother-of-pearl are cut into a design and then applied to an object covered in urushi.