The Nakaya Cigar Piccolo “Enjoying the Moon Cat” (月見猫) has an unusual beginning: the design originated from a sketch created by a Nakaya customer who loved cats, initially envisioned as a one-off piece. Its appeal proved enduring, and the whimsical composition became one of Nakaya’s most recognised artistic motifs.
 
The scene depicts two cats enjoying the moon, with delicate paw prints extending across the grip. The cats are rendered in raised Yakō-maki-e, while the moon is created using Tamesukashi, giving it a translucent quality beneath the urushi. The warm Aka-Tamenuri ground provides depth to the composition and allows the lacquer to develop its character over time.
 
What began as a personal expression of a cat lover's affection ultimately became a celebrated Nakaya design—an especially charming example of how individual commissions can become part of Japanese fountain-pen artistry.