Octagonal black lacquer vase decorated with a family crest (kamon).
The crest on this vase, a stylized paulownia (kiri), is intended to enhance the beauty and harmony of the flower arrangement.
The kiri is one of the 10 most used family emblems (judaimon) in Japan. Kiri were seen as sacred trees in ancient China, because it was believed that phoenixes only perched on their branches.
Due to these revered origins, the kiri emblem was first adopted as the preferred mark of the Japanese imperial family during the Heian period (794-1185), and was later used by several samurai clans, most notably the Abe and the Ashikaga. Toyotomi Hideyoshi is also famous for having used at least 3 variations of the kiri mon during his life.

Maker's mark on a side of the vase.