The pen is filled with texture, both visual and tactile. The ice flows, as seen above, are raised above the surface of the cap. The iceberg seen to the left seems to float off into the distance, an abstract of transparency and hard-edged form.

The ice flow incorporates two different Maki-e techniques, togidashi-maki-e (burnished Maki-e) and taka-maki-e (raised Maki-e). Togidahsi-maki-e is a method in which silver and gilded patterns are dried, recoated with Urushi, and finally burnished to a high sheen using charcoal. This style of Maki-e dates to the 7th century. The Taka-maki-e method, on the other hand, is applied on patterns in raised relief and dates to the 12th century. Notice how the light reflects off both the raised and burnished surface of the ice as well as the forms at the bottom of the barrel. This is one of the most labor- intensive methods used in the production of Maki-e pens.