Curves softly illuminated by light. Their texture evokes the moment a flower blooms or fabric layered with supple grace, making you want to reach out and touch them. Lacquer artist Fumie Sasai explores “shapes you can’t help but want to touch,” creating unseen forms while conversing daily with lacquer.

Shapes Made of Lacquer That Invite Touch

In her home and studio in Mukō City, Kyoto Prefecture, the lacquer drying cabinet, the “lacquer room,” holds pieces with a mysterious presence. Soft, airy swells, or forms as plump and juicy as ripe fruit. Their surfaces catch the light with a moist luster, tempting you to bring your fingertips closer.

Sasai’s three-dimensional lacquer works are not completed with a single coat. By layering lacquer and polishing after each application, she refines subtle irregularities to create an even, uniform surface. Furthermore, lacquer only hardens in spaces with controlled temperature and humidity, requiring time for drying. Only through this repeated process, layered many times over, do these smooth textures and soft forms emerge.

“I decide the coating and form while imagining the sensation when touched,” explains Sasai’s creative approach. As he coats, polishes, and coats again, the lacquer’s thickness builds into volume, and the precision of the polishing creates smoothness. The forms nurtured bit by bit carry the layered time Sasai spent engaging with the lacquer, confirming its state with his fingertips.

He chose “works that won’t lose their form”

Sasai was born and raised in Yao City, Osaka Prefecture. Growing up in a working-class neighborhood with a father who was a company employee and a mother who was a homemaker, his family had no particular connection to the arts. He became drawn to the path of art in high school and went on to study at an art university in Kyoto.

“I painted in high school, but as I continued, I started thinking maybe I was better suited to creating forms within my hands rather than working on a flat surface. What about becoming a ceramicist? I jumped into an art university with the mindset of ‘Let’s just try it first.'”

Upon entering university, he first experienced dyeing, ceramics, and lacquerware. Among these, lacquer captured Sasai’s heart. “With ceramics, the pieces shrink when fired, which I found a bit sad,” he explains. Conversely, lacquer gains fullness and substance with each layer applied. He was drawn to how its expression changes with each application, allowing him to slowly decide the form while observing these transformations.

Forging a path no one has walked before, with my own hands

Having chosen lacquerware, Sasai initially envisioned a future crafting vessels in a workshop. Yet as she worked, she transcended the boundaries of vessel-making, pursuing forms that were true to her own sensibilities. Following her heart led her to lacquer objects—a medium where she could freely explore the shapes she loved.

At that time, the world of lacquer art was still dominated by practitioners working as “craftsmen” making vessels and Buddhist altarware. Precisely because of this, he reasoned that by deliberately pivoting into the realm of art, he could forge a new path where no one had ventured before. This realization became the major catalyst for steering his course toward becoming an artist and beginning to explore his own unique form of expression.

Dialogue with nature and people close at hand became the source of creation

Since encountering lacquer, Sasai has consistently engaged with “form.” This journey has also been one of continually seeking how to entrust the sensations arising in his heart to lacquer. His work reveals a core strength that enjoys time-consuming processes and steadfastly upholds his aesthetic sensibility.

Plump forms of life born from everyday observations

One of Sasai’s representative series is “Bilabdo.” Its rounded, soft forms evoke the appearance of infants and children—the period when humans receive the most affection—and inevitably bring a smile to the viewer’s face. These plump contours succinctly express Sasai’s theme of “forms you want to touch.”

Another representative series, “Sky Fish,” beautifully harmonizes the characteristic plump curves and overlapping ridges found in Sasai’s work.

These works share a common thread: they convey Sasai’s curiosity, focused on small, everyday observations and the nature close at hand. The freshness of a child’s skin, the suppleness of a fish swimming on the water’s surface. The charm of Sasai’s work lies in how these forms of life are expressed through the unique, deep texture of lacquer.

Time spent with students fuels creative energy

Alongside his own artistic practice, Sasai has served as a professor at Kyoto City University of Arts, teaching students the creation of three-dimensional lacquer works. He finds the time spent interacting with the younger generation at the university to be a significant stimulus for himself. “If I had devoted myself solely to creating, I might have hit a wall. Interacting with the students provides balance and gives me energy.”

Dialogue with the younger generation broadens his perspective, enriching Sasai’s creative process.

A new world opened through collaboration

“Collaborations” with artists from different fields have also been a major catalyst for expanding Sasai’s expressive range. Encountering materials and approaches entirely different from lacquer has given birth to new possibilities.

A prime example is the collaborative work “Boat of the Sun” with bamboo craftsman Tanabe Chikunsa IV.While Sasai used blue lacquer to express the sun floating on the sea surface with a sharp, circular form, Tanabe wove bundles of bamboo into the blue ring, capturing the moment sunlight spreads across the ocean. The fusion of lacquer’s sharp lines and bamboo’s softness creates a new charm in craftsmanship.

The collaborative work “Glass Fish” with kirikane glass artist Akane Yamamoto is another piece where the two artists’ individualities merge.”Kirikane glass” is a technique original to Yamamoto Akane, where patterns are drawn using thin, thread-like strips of gold leaf, which are then sealed within molten glass. Inspired by the glass eyes Yamamoto creates, Sasai gave birth to a vivid blue fish that seems to leap across the water’s surface.

“Through collaborations with various craftspeople, I’ve seen worlds I never could have reached working alone. Of course, it benefits me personally, and I can pass it on to my students, so I believe it’s creating double or triple the positive impact.” These collaborations with diverse artists also became an opportunity for Sasai to unravel the unconscious assumptions she had unknowingly formed about “how lacquer should be.”

Freer, farther. Believing in the potential of lacquer.

Sasai’s works have been exhibited in museums, solo shows, and various themed exhibitions. Additionally, her pieces are permanently displayed as part of the artwork collection at The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto. It’s a special space where visitors can encounter her creations during their stay or dining experience.

In recent years, his new challenges showcased in the 2024 solo exhibition “Gentle Breeze, Sudden Thunder” were recognized, earning him the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology New Artist Award in the Fine Arts category at the 75th Arts Selection Awards. Furthermore, he will realize his first solo exhibition in the United States in the summer of 2025, significantly expanding his creative horizons.

“I truly believe Japanese crafts possess exceptional quality. That’s precisely why increasing opportunities for more people to see them should spark greater interest overseas. In fact, international visitors do come to see my work, and I believe the potential is immense.”

In 2026, an exhibition introducing Japanese lacquer art is scheduled at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, UK, and Sasai’s work has been selected for display. As an individual artist, she stands at the gateway to introducing Japanese craft to the world. Her determination and hope for the future were palpable in her words.

What new encounters will come next, and what new expressions will emerge? The works born from these encounters will surely stir our hearts once again.

The post What I seek is “a form that invites touch.” Lacquer artist Fumie Sasai, who shapes the tactile essence of life / Mukō City, Kyoto Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Wajima-nuri is one of Japan’s most representative lacquerware crafts. The pieces created by Akito Akagi are admired by many for their sophisticated designs and warm appearance. In 2024, Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture, the birthplace of Wajima-nuri, suffered severe damage from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Akagi is working to revive and regenerate the region while reflecting on the origins of Wajima-nuri.

Strong and beautiful Wajima lacquerware created through meticulous craftsmanship

Located at the tip of the Noto Peninsula, Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture is renowned as the birthplace of Wajima lacquerware. With a history spanning over 500 years, Wajima lacquerware is designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan and is celebrated worldwide as a masterpiece of lacquerware.

One of the key features of Wajima-nuri is its exceptional durability. For example, the technique of “nuno-kise” involves applying fabric to the edges of bowls to reinforce vulnerable areas, significantly enhancing durability. Another unique material used in Wajima-nuri is “jino-ko,” a type of ground powder made from diatomaceous earth mined in Wajima. Jinoko is made by burning diatomaceous earth, which is mined in Wajima, into a powder and mixing it with the base lacquer. This meticulous craftsmanship results in Wajima lacquerware that is said to last for over 100 years.

The production process involves 124 distinct steps, each carried out by specialized craftsmen.

Another distinctive feature is the division of labor that supports the 124 processes involved. Specialized craftsmen are responsible for each stage of production, such as the “woodworkers” who shape the wooden bases, the “lacquerers” who apply layers of lacquer, and the “makie artists” who decorate the pieces with gold powder and other materials. This division of labor not only enables efficient production across the entire region but also allows craftsmen to specialize in their respective fields and refine their skills. In this way, the entire town of Wajima functions like a single lacquerware workshop, producing Wajima-nuri of exceptional quality.

Discovering Wajima-nuri and transitioning from editor to lacquer artist

Akagi Akito, a lacquer artisan specializing in Wajima-nuri, handles the final coating process known as “upper coating” while also directing the creation of vessels. His solo exhibitions held across the country are always well-attended. His works are also highly regarded overseas, with pieces collected by the Di Neue Sammlungen Museum in Germany.

Akagi entered the world of Wajima lacquerware in 1988. At the time, he was leading a busy life as an editor in Tokyo when he came across the works of Kado Isaburo, a master craftsman of Wajima lacquerware.

Kadoi was a figure known as both an “outsider” and a “revolutionary” in the world of Wajima lacquerware. He gained recognition early in his career as a Wajima lacquerware artist, winning numerous awards in public competitions. However, he was captivated by the traditional vessels rooted in the lifestyle of Noto and withdrew from public competitions to focus on creating everyday utensils. Kado’s vessels, which constantly questioned the essence of lacquerware, were brimming with vitality, and Akagi was deeply moved by their powerful presence.

Drawn to the charm of Kado’s vessels, Akagi moved to Wajima, apprenticed under a base coat artisan, and learned the techniques.

Creating vessels that harmonize with daily life

What Akagi creates are not vessels for display, but vessels for use. They possess a simple, refined beauty.

“Wajima lacquerware is often associated with glittering works of art, but it was originally a vessel deeply connected to the daily life of Wajima,” says Akagi. ”The true beauty lies in the shapes and colors of vessels that are deeply connected to daily life.” Akagi has always believed this, and during a time when Wajima lacquerware was still used as practical vessels, he created numerous replicas of vessels from the Edo period. What is the beauty and richness that lives in Wajima? Akagi continues to ask himself this question as he pursues the form of vessels.

Project to rebuild the workshop destroyed by an earthquake

The 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake struck the region famous for its lacquerware, directly affecting the industry. Over 80% of the lacquerware businesses in the area were damaged by the earthquake. Many artisans lost their livelihoods and their places of work, with some forced to close their businesses or evacuate to other parts of the country.

Among the affected artisans was a woodworker who had spent decades alongside Akagi-san, striving to create beautiful forms. He was 86-year-old Mitsuo Ikeda. When Akagi visited Ikeda after the earthquake, his workshop lay in ruins. Ikeda sat motionless in front of the collapsed workshop for two days before losing consciousness and being rushed to the hospital on the third day. “I couldn’t let Ikeda die in despair,” Akagi decided immediately to rebuild the workshop.

“Ikeda-san’s family has been a woodworker in Yoyogi since the Edo period. The beautiful traditional Wajima lacquerware patterns are deeply ingrained in his body. Working with him felt like working alongside his ancestors,” Akagi says. He couldn’t let that skill disappear.

Akagi launched the “Small Woodworker’s Workshop Revival Project,” which garnered widespread support, and the reconstruction of Ikegami’s workshop was completed in just three months after the earthquake. A single light shone in the rubble-strewn town. Ikegami, who had returned from a secondary evacuation center outside the city, rejoiced at the reconstruction of his workshop and began turning wood again.

From one woodworker, the baton was passed to the next generation.

However, since Ikegami-san had no successor, two apprentices from Akagi-san’s workshop were sent to learn woodturning. Ikegami-san was determined to live long enough to see them become skilled craftsmen, but he passed away quietly in July 2024, just a few years after the reconstruction.

After Ikegami’s passing, a wood turner who had once worked on Kaku Eisaburo’s bowls took over the workshop. However, perhaps due to the stress of the disaster, he collapsed after turning 20 bowls and passed away. His son now runs the workshop. He had left his job as a woodworker after the disaster and found work outside the prefecture, but after being persuaded by Akagi, he returned to Wajima to resume his craft. Two apprentices who had been sent from Akagi’s workshop are now striving to master the techniques under their new master. The “small woodworking shop” where Ikegami’s skills and spirit lived on has thus been passed down to the next generation.

Rebuilding the disappearing landscape of Noto

Akagi has also been actively involved in efforts to restore the landscape of Wajima after the earthquake. He had previously operated an auberge and a publishing company in a renovated traditional house in Wajima City, but both buildings were damaged in the earthquake. The damage to the auberge was particularly severe, and it became clear that reconstruction would take a long time. As a result, he decided to repair the publishing company’s building in a coastal village and open a temporary auberge there.

While working on the temporary store in the coastal village, Akagi learned that many of the houses in the village were either completely or partially destroyed and awaiting demolition. While the demolition of completely or partially destroyed buildings is fully funded by public funds, repairs or reconstruction are原則 self-funded. Due to the aging population, depopulation, and many vacant houses in the village, reconstruction is difficult, and many people are forced to apply for public funding for demolition.

The village is characterized by traditional houses with wooden walls adorned with latticework and black tile roofs, creating a unified and beautiful landscape. If public-funded demolition proceeds, this landscape will be lost forever. Akagi decided to purchase two houses surrounding the temporary store and rebuild them in their original form to preserve the historical and cultural value of Noto’s landscape.

Furthermore, he believes that “if we can revitalize this area as a base, it will encourage young people to settle here,” and plans to use these houses as residences for his apprentices and a book café.

As of March 2025, the number of applications for public demolition due to the Noto Peninsula earthquake has reached approximately 38,000 buildings. Among these, there are many buildings that could be repaired and continued to be inhabited. “If we continue with demolition without considering the landscape, the town will become a uniform, characterless area. I hope people will pay more attention to the value of the landscape.” While Akagi-san’s ability to rebuild on his own without public support is limited, he aims to continue spreading awareness of the importance of preserving Noto’s traditional landscape for future generations and expand his efforts.

He aspires to be a ‘pottery shop’ that connects the hometown of Wajima lacquerware to the future.

The work of a lacquer artisan and the restoration of landscapes may seem unrelated at first glance. However, for Akagi-san, they are all part of the same “craftsmanship.” “All things with form eventually break down. That is an inescapable fate. For me, craftsmanship is about continuing to strive against the inevitable breakdown and loss of things. I felt this deeply after experiencing the earthquake.”

Uncovering the lost beauty of traditional Wajima lacquerware, reconstructing the collapsed workshops of woodworkers to preserve their techniques, and reviving the vanishing landscapes of Noto—Mr. Akagi’s “craftsmanship” takes shape through relentless perseverance.

“I’m a potter,” Akagi says. ‘Of course, bowls are vessels, but so are houses where people live. And so are towns where many people gather. Through craftsmanship, I believe my role as a potter is to connect Wajima’s vessels to the future.’ What form will Akagi’s ‘vessels’ take in 50 or 100 years? The story of connecting Wajima’s beautiful vessels will continue onward.

The post Looking back on the origins of Wajima lacquerware and connecting it to the future. Lacquer craftsman Akito Akagi / Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Located almost in the center of Fukui Prefecture is Sabae City. In the mountainous eastern part of the city lies the Kawada district, a center of traditional lacquerware production in the Echizen region. Here, traditional techniques that have been passed down for 1,500 years are being combined with modern designs and functionality to create lacquerware for the contemporary lifestyle. One of the pioneers of this movement is Atsuo Yamagishi, who created lacquerware that can be used casually at the dinner table every day, with even scratches adding to the charm of the piece.

Echizen lacquerware is typically made by craftsmen who divide the work among themselves. Why is it made by families?

At its peak, Echizen lacquerware accounted for 80% of the domestic market share for commercial lacquerware. The history of lacquerware in the Kawada district, where it is produced, dates back 1,500 years, and the production of lacquerware is still carried out today by specialized craftsmen working in a division of labor. As a result, even today, there are many lacquerware wholesalers and craftsmen’s workshops in this town of about 4,000 people. Atsuo Yamagishi not only creates lacquerware but also produces lacquer artworks commissioned by galleries and other clients. His workshop, “Kinju,” is located in the mountains, a short distance from the town center.

Currently, the workshop’s signature lacquerware items are produced by Yamagishi’s son, Yoshiji, who has taken over the business, with the production process divided among family members, from the base coat to the final finish. The reason they produce everything in-house is that the technique used by the Yamagishi family is unique, making it difficult to outsource to other workshops.

When one hears “lacquerware,” one might typically imagine red or black bowls with a glossy finish. However, Yamagishi’s bowls feature brush strokes visible on the surface, giving them a slightly textured feel. They also have a warm, wooden texture and a unique shape that fits comfortably in the hand. Compared to the traditional lacquerware made in the Kawada region for use in inns and restaurants, the distinctive features of Yamagishi’s bowls are that each one has a unique expression and that they are designed so that even if the lacquer gets scratched from daily use, it doesn’t matter.

We hope that people will use these lacquerware pieces, which require careful maintenance, in their daily lives at home.

At its peak, Echizen lacquerware accounted for 80% of the domestic market share for commercial lacquerware. The history of lacquerware in the Kawada district, where it is produced, dates back 1,500 years, and the production of lacquerware is still carried out today by specialized craftsmen working in a division of labor. As a result, even today, there are many lacquerware wholesalers and craftsmen’s workshops in this town of about 4,000 people. Atsuo Yamagishi not only creates lacquerware but also produces lacquer artworks commissioned by galleries and other clients. His workshop, “Kinju,” is located in the mountains, a short distance from the town center.

Currently, the workshop’s signature lacquerware items are produced by Yamagishi’s son, Yoshiji, who has taken over the business, with the production process divided among family members, from the base coat to the final finish. The reason they produce everything in-house is that the technique used by the Yamagishi family is unique, making it difficult to outsource to other workshops.

When one hears “lacquerware,” one might typically imagine red or black bowls with a glossy finish. However, Yamagishi’s bowls feature brush strokes visible on the surface, giving them a slightly textured feel. They also have a warm, wooden texture and a unique shape that fits comfortably in the hand. Compared to the traditional lacquerware made in the Kawada region for use in inns and restaurants, the distinctive features of Yamagishi’s bowls are that each one has a unique expression and that they are designed so that even if the lacquer gets scratched from daily use, it doesn’t matter.

We hope that people will use these lacquerware pieces, which require careful maintenance, in their daily lives at home.

Mr. Yamagishi was born into a family of lacquer artisans that has been passed down for generations, and he inherited the techniques from his father as the fifth generation. In his mid-20s, when he exhibited his work at an exhibition outside the prefecture, he noticed that the questions from customers were not about the beauty of the lacquerware’s design, but rather about how to use it at home and how to maintain it on a daily basis. “Perhaps people think that hand-painted lacquerware like ours is difficult to use in everyday life,” he thought.

Originally, lacquerware was used on special occasions such as weddings and funerals, so it may be considered too delicate for everyday use. The beautiful, jewel-like luster may also make people hesitant to use it, fearing they might scratch it. With this in mind, Yamagishi began researching lacquer itself with the goal of developing durable lacquerware that could be used without hesitation in everyday life.

When he went into the mountains to collect lacquer sap (the process of extracting sap from lacquer trees), he discovered that the raw lacquer sap, which has a whiskey-like brown color, hardens into a stone-like substance that cannot be scratched even with a fingernail. However, when trying to enhance the durability of the vessels by applying multiple layers of lacquer to the wood, the lacquer became prone to cracking and peeling due to impact.

Upon researching literature on lacquerware, I learned that to make the vessels less prone to cracking and the lacquer less prone to peeling, the “wood base” (the raw, unfinished wood) is more crucial than the “coating.” By using a technique called “wood hardening,” which involves allowing the wood to absorb a large amount of lacquer, the wood itself becomes harder, improving the adhesion of the subsequent base coating. When I actually made vessels using this method, customers reported that the time before they needed repairs was significantly extended, and some pieces could be used for over 10 years without maintenance.

As a lacquerware artist from Echizen, it took time for Yamagishi’s dedication to be accepted.

To further enhance the strength of the base, the coating liquid was mixed with ground lacquer powder and grinding powder to achieve the optimal composition. While the durability was satisfactory, there were some issues. Typically, lacquer used for coating is filtered before application to remove impurities and prevent brush marks from remaining. However, since Yamagishi’s lacquer already contains powder, brush marks inevitably remain. Nevertheless, the texture created by these brush strokes adds character to the lacquerware’s surface, making any scratches less noticeable. For the final finish, the surface of the completed piece was sanded with sandpaper and intentionally given a matte finish to mimic the worn appearance of aged lacquerware. This was an innovative twist on the then-popular trend of intentionally washing new jeans to create a worn look.

At the time, the bowls that Yamagishi-san had designed were handmade with a strong sense of craftsmanship, with brush strokes still visible. It was vastly different from the neatly shaped lacquerware now lined up in the workshop, so when the local artisans, including Yamagishi’s family, saw the bowl he brought, they strongly opposed it, saying, “Are you trying to sell such poorly painted work?” When he asked a relative to handle the next step in finishing the bowl, they responded, “Can you really make something like this?” and kicked the box containing the bowl, leaving him feeling humiliated.

Despite this, Yamagishi persisted, relying on family members who understood his approach, and managed to complete the piece. He immediately took it to a local wholesaler, but the concept of accepting imperfections was too radical, and no one was willing to place an order. Yamagishi then leveraged the connections he had built through previous events to exhibit his work at events and retail stores nationwide.

These one-of-a-kind Echizen lacquerware pieces grow more beautiful with use.

After holding several solo exhibitions at a friend’s shop, Yamagishi’s innovative and unconventional tableware designs gradually gained recognition. One day, after being featured in the magazine “Katei Gaho,” inquiries began pouring in from pottery shops and galleries across the country. Typically, handmade pottery, which emphasizes its natural texture, is considered difficult to coordinate with traditional lacquerware due to their differing styles, especially when placed on the same table. However, the craftsmanship of Yamagishi’s vessels and plates makes them easy to pair with traditional ceramics.

They also complement the works of other ceramic artists with strong individual styles, blending seamlessly when placed together on the same table. For example, when pairing a ceramic cup with Yamagishi’s lacquerware as a saucer, the rough texture of the ceramic bottom does not leave noticeable scratches on the lacquerware. Yamagishi’s “casual lacquerware” steadily gained popularity, leading to solo exhibitions across the country. In 2005, he had the opportunity to hold solo exhibitions and lectures at four locations in New York City, and he continues to hold exhibitions at department stores and galleries in Tokyo several times a year.

As he pursued techniques that left brush strokes visible, Yamagishi encountered “negoro-nuri,” a traditional Japanese lacquering technique originating in Wakayama Prefecture. This technique involves applying a base coat of black lacquer and then layering red lacquer on top. As the piece is used, the red base gradually becomes visible through the black surface. He also incorporated the “Asahi” technique, also known as “gyaku negoro,” which involves applying black lacquer over a red lacquer base, causing the red to gradually emerge from the black surface with use. This expanded the range of his artistic expression.

For woodworking, he uses the “mokkan-shiki” method, which involves solidifying wood powder and soaking it in a large amount of lacquer to create a stronger base. This wood base does not warp or crack even after drying, allowing it to be used for many years and fully enjoying the natural aging of the vessel. “Even if a family purchases several of the same bowls, each one will develop its own unique character depending on who uses it.” These vessels are truly created into one-of-a-kind pieces by the people who use them.

The original beauty of Fukui’s traditional Echizen lacquerware, infused with a modern sensibility.

Additionally, since he began holding solo exhibitions, Yamagishi has been actively engaged in creative activities that incorporate traditional techniques with a modern sensibility in lacquerware and lacquer-based works.

In the past, he created colorful lacquerware items such as cups, plates, and chopsticks for national touring exhibitions as an artist. However, after falling ill several years ago and finding it difficult to work with his right hand, he decided to focus on painting, which can be done without using his right hand. He began creating one-of-a-kind pieces by using the back of jackets, wooden panels, and washi paper as canvases, freely expressing his ideas. In the past, he would have his wife hold the vessels or press down the paper, but now he fills a bowl with water and uses cloth or paper as weights to create pieces on his own. “I’m challenging myself to see how far I can take my work using only my left hand, immersing myself in my own world,” he says with a smile.

His current favorite piece is a work in progress called “rough carving,” where lacquer is applied to the sturdy material of a vessel cut from wood. He feels a sense of vitality in the roughness of the material before it is carved.

In the lacquerware industry today, new combinations and techniques that were previously unimaginable, such as applying lacquer to resin, are emerging. “There are still so many things I want to try,” says Yamagishi. The lacquerware and lacquer art he has created are at the heart of this movement, serving as wings that carry the culture of lacquer and creating hints for the future survival of the Kawanoda region.

The post Easily used every day, Echizen lacquerware transforms scratches into a source of enjoyment. Atsuo Yamagishi, Urushi Kobo Kinshu, Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Town of lacquerware with over 800 years of history

Yuzawa City, the southern gateway to Akita Prefecture, is, as its name suggests, blessed with an abundance of hot springs. Located in the northeastern part of the city is Kawatsure, a small but well-known lacquerware town with a history of more than 800 years.
It is said that the town’s history dates back to the Kamakura period (1185-1333), when the lord of Inaniwa Castle, who ruled over the southern part of Akita Prefecture for 400 years, had his warriors apply lacquer to their swords’ sheaths, armor, and other weapons. Later, during the Edo period, lacquer was widely used for bowls, tables, stacked boxes, and other tableware, and Kawatsura lacquerware became widely popular as a daily necessity for local people and as a craft.
Lacquerware is generally made by a division of labor among craftsmen specializing in woodworking, lacquering, chinkin and maki-e. In Kawatsura, all of these craftsmen work within a radius of one hundred yards. In Kawatsura, all of these craftsmen are concentrated in a small town within a radius of 2 km. This is rare in Japan. In Kawatsure, there is “Akita Kawatsura Nuri Jujiro,” a traditional lacquerware workshop that has been in operation since the beginning of the Meiji period. Fumiyuki Sato, a lacquer painter, started planting lacquer trees five or six years ago in order to produce lacquerware using lacquer produced in Yuzawa at this small workshop.

Most of the lacquer distributed in Japan today is produced overseas, and Kawatsura is no exception. Domestic lacquer is produced in small quantities and is difficult to obtain. Because of its high price, the current situation is that people must rely on foreign lacquer. Mr. Sato says, “It is not that there is anything wrong with overseas lacquer, but there are things we must start doing now to prevent domestic lacquer from dying out. He wants to pass on to the next generation what is possible only here in Kawatsura and what can be protected.

Kawatsura Lacquerware that takes time to complete

Kawatsura lacquerware is made by smoking and drying roughly ground wood with heat and smoke. In the past, this method was used in all lacquerware production areas, but recently, as efficiency has improved, artificial drying using machines is being used. The good thing about smoke-drying is that the wood is dried slowly and carefully over a long period of time, which reduces distortion and cracking of the wood. In addition, the components of the smoke provide antiseptic and mothproof effects.
Kawatsura is a small lacquerware production area. We couldn’t afford to invest in equipment,” says Sato, smiling broadly.

The most distinctive feature of Kawatsura lacquerware is the final coating process. This process is called “Hana-nuri,” which is also called “Nuridate” (lacquering). The lacquer is finished without polishing, which is said to bring out the natural luster of the lacquer and enhance the texture of the lacquer and its soft touch. Another charm of this technique is that the top coat is thicker than that used in other regions, and as it is used more and more, the color and luster of the lacquer increases, making the vessels even more beautiful. The process to complete a piece of lacquerware is surprisingly long, not only for Kawatsura lacquerware, but also for other types of lacquerware. The process of lacquering alone requires 30 to 50 steps before it is completed.
Once the lacquer is applied, it is left to dry for five to seven days. After polishing, the lacquer is applied again. This process is repeated over and over again. This process increases the durability and makes the vessels durable enough to be used for a long time. The surface of the finished vessel does not show the layers of lacquer. However, the passion and skill of the craftsmen involved in the dozens of processes involved in the lacquering process is evident.

Kawatsura lacquerware, made from horse chestnut, is light to the touch and has excellent heat retention properties. Above all, it is gentle and pleasant to the touch when you eat it. I would like you to try eating rice in a bowl made of Kawaren lacquerware. I think you will find that the bowls are not only beautiful to look at, but also gentle to the palate,” he says. While gliding the brush evenly over the bowls, Sato spoke affectionately about the charm of Kawatsura lacquerware.

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The post Lacquerware that grows more beautiful the more it is used “Kawatsura Lacquerware, Kawatsura, Akita: Toshijiro” first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Tomoaki Nakano produces Echizen lacquerware, a traditional craft of the region, in the Kawada area of Sabae, Fukui Prefecture. Echizen lacquerware boasts an overwhelming share in the field of commercial lacquerware used in hotels and restaurants, and many people have probably picked up Echizen lacquerware on their travels or when dining out. Echizen lacquerware, which excels in mass production, has been elevated to the level of a work of art and is thoroughly hand-painted, even if the number of pieces is limited. He has chosen to live his life as an artist by creating high value-added lacquerware rather than mass-produced products.

Lacquerware for modern life in Fukui Prefecture.

Nakano’s workshop is located close to Prefectural Road 18, known as Urushi-no-Sato Dori. The name of this street comes from the fact that the Urushi-no-Sato Kaikan (Urushi no Sato Kaikan) is located along the street, where visitors can try their hand at painting lacquerware, and many lacquerware workshops and craftsmen’s houses have stood in the vicinity for centuries.

Involved in all aspects of lacquerware production

Lacquerware production can be broadly divided into processes such as ‘woodworking’, ‘undercoating’ and ‘middle and top coating’, with the division of labour generally divided between different craftspeople undertaking each process. However, Mr Nakano draws up his own designs and orders the woodworkers to do everything himself, from the basecoat to the finishing topcoat. It takes as long as a year from the time he orders the wood until the finished lacquerware is shipped. While each craftsman specialises in his own work according to the orders of his customers, Nakano is one of those rare individuals who consistently creates his own works of art with his own hands.

Attracts attention from galleries across the country.

Nakano’s work is simple but beautiful with the elegance of lacquer. His reputation has spread throughout Japan and he holds more than 10 exhibitions a year. Nakano is now an up-and-coming lacquerware artist who is attracting keen attention from galleries and other institutions across the country.

Enchanting with the beauty of the finish.

Among the lacquerware produced by Ms Nakano, bowls without ornate decorations are particularly popular. The bowls are favoured by consumers with modern sensibilities for their design, which makes them easy to use not only at weddings, funerals and other ceremonial occasions, but also in everyday dining, and for their beautiful form and warmth of texture. The unique texture is created by a finish called ‘Shin-nuri’. Shin-nuri requires a highly skilled lacquering technique, as the top coat is not polished at the end and is finished as it is. Mr Nakano has been polishing his lacquering skills for 27 years in the same area, where craftsmen are generally highly skilled in top-coating, to the extent that Echizen lacquerware is said to be good at top-coating.

The lacquer for the top coat is also handmade.

Lacquer for the top coat is used for the top coat of lacquerware. The process of making top-coating lacquer is called tekurome, and used to be common in production areas. However, handmade ‘Kami-nuri lacquer’ is time-consuming and labour-intensive, requiring four to five years of storage. However, Mr Nakano believes that “handmade work is what increases the value of lacquerware”, and since 2004, he has been exposing raw lacquer to sunlight once a year to evaporate the water and make the lacquer for the top coat. The process is called teguro-me (hand-glazed lacquer).

To live as a writer.

Born and raised in Sabae City, Nakano graduated from a technical college and worked as a civil engineering designer, but when his father, a top-lacquer painter for Echizen lacquerware and a contractor for the production area, fell ill, he took the opportunity to help his father with his work. Fortunately, my father later recovered from his illness and I was able to learn the art of lacquering from him.

That foundation is still alive today, he says. ‘Thanks to him, I was very busy at work at the time, and I got to paint all sorts of things. In this region, there are two types of overglaze painters: round painters, who paint round objects, and square painters, who paint square objects. My father’s workshop specialised in round objects, but he also handled square objects, so I acquired a wide range of skills in both areas.

Discomfort felt in the work of production

While training in his father’s workshop, Nakano began to have doubts about the work of applying lacquer to resin vessels or applying a topcoat to a surface that had been primed with chemical paint. He says: “Some lacquerware is sprayed with a spray gun, but I wanted to stick to the beautiful finish that can only be achieved by hand-painting.” In parallel with her work, Ms Nakano began creating her own artworks. When she entered her work in competitions, she won a succession of prestigious awards, including the Grand Prize at the Sake Vessel Exhibition, the Excellence Prize at the Bowl One Grand Prize and the Fukui Prefecture Governor’s Prize at the Echizen Lacquer Ware Exhibition. It was clear to all that his talent as an artist was blossoming.

Writers whom he admires

In addition to his father, there was another person who had a great influence on Mr Nakano. Like Mr Nakano, he was a lacquerware artist based in Fukui, Hideaki Yamamoto. Mr Yamamoto is credited with popularising the term “lacquerware for everyday use”, which is now often heard of. Mr Nakano was strongly attracted to Mr Yamamoto’s style, which involves applying a solid base coat to a wooden base of his own design and finishing it with plain bowls and stacked boxes. Seeing Mr Yamamoto making ‘tegurome lacquer’, Mr Nakano started making it as well. Mr Yamamoto has already passed away, but the spirit of his workmanship is still deeply engraved in Mr Nakano’s heart.

Increase your network of contacts through sales and exhibitions.

After Yamamoto’s death, Ms Nakano chose to follow in his footsteps and enjoy her own work as an artist. At the time, she gathered information on popular galleries from women’s magazines such as Katei Gaho and Fujin Gaho, packed her works into a large rucksack and went on sales trips to those galleries. Perhaps as a result of these efforts, she exhibited at Craft Fair Matsumoto, the largest arts and crafts exhibition in Japan, held in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture. He expanded his connections with the pottery shops and galleries that gather there.

Set up own workshop and become independent

As she continued to make sales rounds and exhibit at events, she gradually received more invitations from galleries to participate in solo and group exhibitions, and she began to see prospects for making a living as an artist. So in 2014, he set up his own workshop with a small exhibition room at his current location. His brother took over his father’s work.

Nakano’s solo and group exhibitions increased in frequency as the years went by, and by 2019 he was holding 10 exhibitions a year. Currently, he prepares between two and three hundred pieces of lacquerware for a single exhibition.

Great support from partners

Ms Nakano always presents one or two new works in conjunction with her solo exhibitions. He tries to be present at the gallery as much as possible during the exhibition period so that he can talk directly to visitors about the appeal of his work, thereby increasing his fan base. Recently, in response to requests from galleries, he has also produced oval plates and spoons, which are rare in lacquerware. His wife, Yanagiko, provides support in the preparation and administrative work for his solo and group exhibitions, which is a great help to his creative activities.

Just keep making good things

Nakano says, “I want to keep making good lacquerware because the quality of the first piece of lacquerware a person encounters determines whether or not he or she will use it for a long time.

At his solo exhibitions, he also repaints lacquerware that has been purchased in the past if visitors bring it in. Nakano says that it gives her the greatest pleasure to see carefully used lacquerware returned to her. He says: “If you wipe lacquerware properly every time you wash it, it comes out beautifully shiny. Seeing this is what makes me happiest. I feel that the lacquerware has grown beautifully after being used every day,” she says.

The lacquerware that Nakano pours his heart and soul into reflects the life of the person who uses it, giving it a unique character. In time, the lacquerware becomes an indispensable part of the user’s life and enriches their dining table and, by extension, their life as well.

The post Living as an “artist” in a mass-production area. Tomoaki Nakano, Echizen lacquerware painter. first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Domestic lacquer that can be collected only once in 10 years

“We tap lacquer for only 1 year after allowing the tree to grow for 10 years. The tree is then cut down. This process is called ‘koroshi kaki (killing tap)’ and is essential in collecting the highest quality of lacquer. In other countries, they tap for up to 3 years, but in Japan, we only tap for 1 year and do our best to collect the very best quality lacquer.” We spoke with Mr. Yuzo Tobita, master lacquer tapper who was been a lacquer tapper for 66 years, earning him the Yellow Ribbon Medal.
“Lacquer tapping” is the process of tapping the sap that is used for lacquer in Japanese lacquer art and woodcraft.
The word “tapping” comes from the metal tool that is used to scrape the trunk of the tree.

Lacquer is highly resistant to bacteria and sturdy, making it ideal for craftwork, as well as architecture and daily items. Japanese lacquer work has a great reputation overseas, not only as a coating but as a design. Because the technique is so intricate, lacquer work is sometimes referred to as “japan”, a sign that it is symbolic of Japanese craftsmanship. Daigo city in Ibaraki prefecture is known for its abundance of nature. It is also known for top quality lacquer. Ibaraki ranks second in lacquer production, and the bulk is from Daigo city. There are about 10,000 lacquer trees in the city where Mr. Tobita and fellow members of the Daigo Lacquer Preservation Group continue their efforts to preserve the culture.

Can’t waste even a drop

We visited an area with about 2000 lacquer trees. Only about 200 of these trees are tapped each year. Nakata follows Mr. Tobita’s instructions to try tapping using a tool shaped like a knife, specifically used for lacquer tapping to make scratches on the trunk. The sap that slowly seeps out from the trunk is collected in a container. “It’s taking quite a while for it to seep out.” (Nakata)
“We only get about one milk bottle of lacquer per tree each year. We can’t waste even a drop. In the summer, which is the peak season, the lacquer almost drips, but in the fall to winter months, it only seeps out. The quality is different depending on when you tap, as is how its used. That’s why you have to spend the entire year to collect it.” (Mr. Tobita)

Only a small amount can be collected at one time, so it must take quite a while to collect enough to fill a whole bottle. “If you try to force it out, debris can get mixed in, so you have to be patient. The trick is to make a small scratch and collect a small amount of sap, then slowly make the scratch bigger.” (Mr. Tobita)
There was a pile of used lacquer wood. Lacquer trees are grown for 10 years to collect a small amount of sap. The view of the used trees is a reminder of just how valuable lacquer is. Domestic lacquer is considered very precious and are used mainly to refurbish national treasures such as Nikko Toshogu Temple. Most of the lacquer sold in Japan is from China. It will be difficult for Japanese traditional culture to continue if domestic lacquer is no longer available, so there is great hope for successors to follow in Mr. Tobita’s footsteps. There are also great expectations for the Lacquer Preservation Group which continues to oversee the planting and tapping of the lacquer trees.

“We tap lacquer for only 1 year after allowing the tree to grow for 10 years. The tree is then cut down. This process is called ‘koroshi kaki (killing tap)’ and is essential in collecting the highest quality of lacquer. In other countries, they tap for up to 3 years, but in Japan, we only tap for 1 year and do our best to collect the very best quality lacquer.” We spoke with Mr. Yuzo Tobita, master lacquer tapper who was been a lacquer tapper for 66 years, earning him the Yellow Ribbon Medal. “Lacquer tapping” is the process of tapping the sap that is used for lacquer in Japanese lacquer art and woodcraft. The word “tapping” comes from the metal tool that is used to scrape the trunk of the tree.

Lacquer is highly resistant to bacteria and sturdy, making it ideal for craftwork, as well as architecture and daily items. Japanese lacquer work has a great reputation overseas, not only as a coating but as a design. Because the technique is so intricate, lacquer work is sometimes referred to as “japan”, a sign that it is symbolic of Japanese craftsmanship. Daigo city in Ibaraki prefecture is known for its abundance of nature. It is also known for top quality lacquer. Ibaraki ranks second in lacquer production, and the bulk is from Daigo city. There are about 10,000 lacquer trees in the city where Mr. Tobita and fellow members of the Daigo Lacquer Preservation Group continue their efforts to preserve the culture.

We visited an area with about 2000 lacquer trees. Only about 200 of these trees are tapped each year. Nakata follows Mr. Tobita’s instructions to try tapping using a tool shaped like a knife, specifically used for lacquer tapping to make scratches on the trunk. The sap that slowly seeps out from the trunk is collected in a container. “It’s taking quite a while for it to seep out.” (Nakata) “We only get about one milk bottle of lacquer per tree each year. We can’t waste even a drop. In the summer, which is the peak season, the lacquer almost drips, but in the fall to winter months, it only seeps out. The quality is different depending on when you tap, as is how its used. That’s why you have to spend the entire year to collect it.” (Mr. Tobita)

Only a small amount can be collected at one time, so it must take quite a while to collect enough to fill a whole bottle. “If you try to force it out, debris can get mixed in, so you have to be patient. The trick is to make a small scratch and collect a small amount of sap, then slowly make the scratch bigger.” (Mr. Tobita) There was a pile of used lacquer wood. Lacquer trees are grown for 10 years to collect a small amount of sap. The view of the used trees is a reminder of just how valuable lacquer is. Domestic lacquer is considered very precious and are used mainly to refurbish national treasures such as Nikko Toshogu Temple. Most of the lacquer sold in Japan is from China. It will be difficult for Japanese traditional culture to continue if domestic lacquer is no longer available, so there is great hope for successors to follow in Mr. Tobita’s footsteps. There are also great expectations for the Lacquer Preservation Group which continues to oversee the planting and tapping of the lacquer trees.

The post Protecting the tradition of Japanese lacquer – master lacquer tapper, Yuzo Tobita first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Yoshio Sakai, who runs a workshop called “Rokurosha” in the Kawada district of Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture, the birthplace of the traditional craft of Echizen lacquerware, has been devising and commercializing minimalist designs that take advantage of the beauty of wood grain, which only a woodworker can appreciate.

The Shrinking Work of the Woodworker

The Kawada area in the mountains east of Sabae City, located in the center of Fukui Prefecture, has been producing Echizen lacquerware for more than 1,500 years. Lacquerware production is based on a division of labor, and even today, craftsmen skilled in such specialized techniques as woodworking, undercoating, intermediate coating, overcoating, and decoration have set up their own workshops and are self-supporting.

Among these, the woodworker is also called a “jijiya” (woodworker) or “rokuro-shi” (turner), because he or she turns a potter’s wheel and applies the blade to the wood to hollow out bowls, trays, and other objects. In Fukui Prefecture, too, the name “Rokuroshi” still remains in Echizen-cho, Niugun, relatively close to the nationally known Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum (Katsuyama City), indicating that woodworkers were active in the area.

Today, however, the number of woodworkers has been shrinking due to the spread of inexpensive materials such as plastic that can be cut out of molds, and only a few bowl makers remain in Kawawada. It was 15 years ago that Mr. Sakai, a native of Otaru, Hokkaido, jumped into the “declining sun” of the woodworking industry.

Using the beauty of wood grain in bowls, which only a woodworker knows how to do.

The “BASE” series of vessels, which Mr. Sakai invented and commercialized himself, features a sturdy, vertical design with a beautiful grain of wood and a ceramic-like base. The “wuki-urushi” technique, in which raw or black lacquer is repeatedly applied and wiped off with a cloth, is used to finish the product, so the original wood grain and warmth of the underlying surface can be enjoyed, and the more it is used, the more luster it acquires. The materials used include mizume-zakura, zelkova, tochi, and sen. “I wanted the users to see the charm of the grain that I felt when I was making the wooden base,” says Sakai. By applying lacquer, which is not mixed with pigments or other colors, the fine grains of the wood give it a sense of weight and a modern feel.

Hints of the unique form come from the bowls of the table

The roots of the rugged yet sophisticated shape can be found in old bowls, which Mr. Sakai likes to use. He was inspired by the bowls of the medieval times, when people ate by arranging dishes on the floor or on a table, and took inspiration from Goshika bowls, Yi Dynasty vessels, and ritual vessels made in Noto Town, Ishikawa Prefecture. The bowls are tall, easy to lift, and stable. The bowls are also suitable for serving soups, soups and rice. When used at the table, it does not stand out too much, but when placed on a shelf with other tableware, its linear form gains presence, and the longer it stays with you, the more you will be charmed by its expression that changes over time.

Receiving an order for tableware during a consultation

Another of Mr. Sakai’s representative products is the “Only Bowl. Using a “rokurosha,” a wagon that has been converted to allow work on it, he visits stores and events throughout Japan to give demonstrations and create original bowls by semi-custom order, combining shapes and lacquers. The material is zelkova, and there are five shapes, including kihon, hazori (edge warp), and tsubomi. The shapes of the bowls are also incorporated into the bowls, such as “Imoni Bowl” for Yamagata Prefecture, “Sara Udon Dish” for Nagasaki Prefecture, and so on, which are familiar to the locales and climates of the regions they have visited. Seven types of lacquering are available, including clear, wipe lacquer, and shin-nuri. The shape of the bowl is determined by counseling the customer face to face, asking them what shape, size, and purpose they need. He also provides detailed instructions on how to care for them.

A young man who wanted to be free became a craftsman.

Mr. Sakai, who is tackling new challenges one after another, says of himself, “I always want to be free, and I don’t have any goals or plans. I am the type of person who goes his own way,” he analyzes. In his youth, he attended design school, went abroad, and wandered around the country until he was 25 years old, He decided to learn the techniques as a trainee at the Echizen Lacquer Ware Cooperative Association.

Questions about the position of the wood craftsman in the production area

After three years of training, he established his own business, Rokurosha, in 2014 at the age of 34. At the same time, he got married, but opportunities for subcontract work did not present themselves for a craftsman with little experience. My wife’s parents are also craftsmen, so they were worried that I would have to bow down to the wholesalers or join the union,” he said. However, Mr. Sakai saw the decline of the production area while continuing to do things the old-fashioned way, and he had his doubts.

The vessels worked on by subcontractors simply go through the process of making lacquerware and then into distribution. They have no opportunity to communicate the quality of their products to the outside world, and they do not know how much they are priced. Mr. Sakai felt that if he could communicate the high quality of the bowls made in Kawada, they would reach the people who use them.

Plant planter born as an original project

If I can’t get work, I’ll make it myself,” he thought. He began planning an original product to be exhibited at trade shows and directly communicate the quality of his products to users.

He decided that there was no need to stick only to eating utensils in the first place. He changed his point of view and created a planter for plants using thinned cedar wood from Fukui Prefecture. Under the concept of “redefining value,” the planter was made of a material that would return to the soil in the end, and was designed with the idea of enjoying the fun of the process of cracking, splitting, and decay as it is used.

A path pioneered by a woodworker who cannot be pigeonholed into the conventional wisdom

The “TIMBER POT” was carved from a cedar log that had withstood the wind and snow of deep snow in Fukui, and designed without painting to bring the individuality of the grain expression to the fore. The product was exhibited at Interior Lifestyle 2015, an international trade fair for interior and lifestyle product design held at Tokyo’s Big Sight, where it received the “Young Designer Award” for the best designer.

A big breakthrough for “TIMBER POT.”

The extra prize was an invitation to ” Ambiente ” in Germany, the world’s largest interior trade fair. It was a great stimulus to be in a place where designers and buyers from all over the world gathered. In addition, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry selected the company for “The WONDER500,” a project to promote local products to overseas markets. The concept and design of the “TIMBER POT” became the talk of the town, and was covered by many media outlets.

Only one year after becoming independent. As his name became well known, the number of subcontracting jobs increased, but then the business gradually slowed down. In the process, Sakai began to realize the immaturity of his own skills as a wood craftsman.

The response he got from the “RENEW” event in the production area

He felt that he could not compete on the same playing field as a woodworker who had been grinding on a full-fledged wheel. At that time, a trade fair ” RENEW ” was held in which traditional craftsmen in the Kawada district and other areas cooperated with each other. It was a large-scale event for traditional crafts, attracting about 37,000 visitors over three days (in 2022), including many studio tours and talk events.

Among them, Mr. Sakai’s only bowl was well received by the younger generation who visited. There are definitely people who are interested in and cherish tradition, and they go to great lengths to visit the countryside,” said Mr. Sakai. We hope we can deliver our approach to craftsmanship and our commitment to quality to these people,” he said.

He would make samples of each process, including shape, paint, and process, and explain them directly to customers face-to-face. Seeing a breakthrough in this area, Sakai decided to travel throughout Japan himself, relying on acquaintances with whom he had been maintaining close ties through social networking services and other means.

Winning Patterns” in Human Connections

As he traveled to nationally known boutiques and small local general merchandise stores to take orders for bowls, “I began to see a winning pattern,” he said. Orders are paid for in advance, but delivery takes six months, and the price is a hefty 10,000 to 20,000 yen. Even so, he has found that the motivation to purchase Mr. Sakai’s bowls is not the location or brand, but trust in the person. In other words, going to a place where people (shopkeepers) are accompanied by people (customers), and then carefully conveying one’s thoughts and feelings to foster trust in the product is what moves customers.

The Challenge of Crowdfunding

Next, Mr. Sakai came up with the outlandish idea of moving the workshop itself and having customers watch him work at various destinations. He believed that responding to customers’ detailed requests on the spot and allowing them to experience the manufacturing process itself would lead to the greatest trust and interest in his products. Local wood could also be used as a material.

Thus, in June 2020, Sakai launched a crowdfunding campaign for the production of a mobile workshop “rokurosha,” and thanks to widespread enthusiasm expressed through social networking and talk events, the project was a success with much support from the younger generation, mainly from urban areas. The project raised approximately 3.3 million yen, nearly twice the target amount. The completed “rokurosha” has now visited 20 stores in 15 prefectures.

Thinking about the lacquerware industry as a craftsman who lives in the production area

Currently, Mr. Sakai is actively planning original products. He is actively involved in the planning of original products. He also undertakes product planning in collaboration with interior design stores and other companies, and shares the work he creates with local craftspeople. He says, “I hope I can be of some help in making the production area as prosperous as possible and helping it to survive.

Facing the world anew as a craftsman

Even now that his manufacturing business is on track, Mr. Sakai feels that “in the end, what I have been doing is not the high road as a craftsman.

What I devote most of my time to now is facing the process of making. He spends more time in the workshop to further develop his skills and knowledge. He is also interested in researching the history of wood-working and the Ainu lacquerware culture of his native Hokkaido.

He says, “I had never studied craft, design, art, or business properly, so I had to research and learn each time. But before I knew it, it had become part of my blood.

His own projects have led to an increase in business, and the production area has become more prosperous. In this way, he has felt the joy of working on projects with the help of “everyone. Now, however, he thinks it is more important to improve his own skills as a craftsman and hone his techniques. I feel that communicating this to the public will add something new to the craftsmanship of the production area.

How will the vessels that Mr. Sakai creates in the future change? The future of the wood craftsman may be one of the patterns that emerge.

The post Beautiful vessels with an appearance made by a wood craftsman of Echizen lacquerware who is not bound by the region of production Rokurosha, Yoshio Sakai / Sabae, Fukui, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.

The Kawada district of Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture, is said to be the oldest lacquerware production area in Japan.
The long-established company, Ururindo, has been in this area for eight generations since the Edo period.
While carrying on the traditions, the company develops and offers products that meet the needs of modern life with the idea of “making lacquerware more easily accessible for everyday use.

The company proposes dishes that are a part of daily life, such as dishwasher-safe, hand-lacquered lacquerware.

Echizen lacquerware, produced in the Kawada district in the eastern part of Sabae City, located near the center of Fukui Prefecture, has long held an approximately 80% share of the domestic commercial lacquerware market. However, the industry has been shrinking due to the diversification of eating habits and the spread of inexpensive plastic tableware. Against this backdrop, Lacquyurindo branded itself and produced lacquerware suited to the modern age. The company’s colorful and functional dishwasher-safe dishes have attracted attention from around the world, and have rewritten the history of lacquerware.

Kawada area specializes in lacquerware for commercial use.

Echizen lacquerware was designated by the national government as a traditional craft in 1975. The Kawada district is located in the center of Fukui Prefecture, in the eastern part of Sabae City, known for its eyeglasses, and in a quiet basin separated by a mountain from the Ichijodani Asakura clan ruins, which are famous as a historical war site. The entire region is involved in the production of lacquerware, and each of the craftsmen involved in the process of making lacquerware, including the woodworker, the basemaker, the lacquerer, and the maki-e artist, have their own workshops where they work hard at their specialized fields of study.

At its peak, the company accounted for approximately 80% of the domestic market share of commercial lacquerware for inns and restaurants.

According to one theory, Kawada lacquerware has a history of more than 1,500 years. It is said that the history of Kawawada lacquerware dates back to the re-painting of the broken crown of Emperor Keita, and since then, the company has grown to account for about 80% of the domestic share of commercial lacquerware used at inns and restaurants.

A professional group of “lacquer scrapers” was also born, who went to work throughout the country to collect lacquer solution, and they influenced the lacquer industry in various regions by popularizing iron knives for scratching lacquer. In Kawawada, not only individual craftsmen, but also companies that handle all aspects of the lacquer industry have grown. One of these companies, Ururindo, is a long-established lacquerware manufacturer that has been in business for more than 200 years, since 1793.

Times are changing, and areas of expertise are blocking the future.

Kawawada, a lacquerware production center, specializes in making-to-order products that respond flexibly to clients’ requirements. The company captured the commercial lacquerware market mainly for inns and restaurants, thanks to its durability to withstand hard use, the price range demanded by clients, and the practicality of its ability to mass produce. After the end of the bubble economy, however, needs for lacquerware declined sharply due to competition from inexpensive overseas products, the rise of plastic products, changes in eating habits, and the diversification of tableware. The industry was shrinking day by day, and the production centers were faced with the problem.

The heirs of long-established businesses focused on the high hurdles that only a production center can overcome.

Lacquerware production and sales have been run by a family business centered on the lacquerware shop business, and “Ururindo” was one of the companies that were troubled by sluggish sales. However, while Kawada was struggling to keep up with the rapid changes of the times, Toru Uchida, who was in his early 20s, decided to take over the family business.

In his youth, he was obsessed with baseball and went on to study physical education at a university outside of the prefecture. People around him had high expectations for his large hands that firmly grasped the ball, which were suitable for a painter. Knowing the state of the industry, he could not make up his mind to take over the family business even before graduating from college, but lacquerware was on his mind during his job search. When I visited an interior design company, I wondered if my family’s lacquerware could be displayed there,” he said.

Determination to “take on the responsibility of the production area

I was aware of the nature of the problems in the production area, but I was also aware that it was difficult to sell lacquerware. As he realized the true nature of the problems facing the production area, Mr. Uchida decided to live in the world of lacquerware. When he returned to his hometown as a student, he saw his grandfather, father, and family working with sincerity. He decided that if he was going to take over the family business someday, he wanted to use the time he spent working at other companies and taking side trips to train in the art of lacquering. As soon as he returned home, he began learning the techniques of lacquering from his grandfather and father.

Launching new brands one after another to repaint the traditional beauty of Echizen lacquerware

Although he learned the techniques handed down in his family from generation to generation and started his career as a lacquerware master, the industry itself lacked vigor, and company sales were declining. The theory behind commercial-use lacquerware is that it should be made in specific sizes for specific purposes, such as for soup bowls, simmered dish bowls, and stopper bowls, and that it should be decorated with seasonal and glittering maki-e lacquerware. The bowls were not sold to the general public because they were a little too flashy and difficult to use for home use. In the course of receiving a large number of orders, he came to believe that if he only handled one of the processes of making lacquerware as a craftsman, he would not be able to understand the needs and satisfaction of the people who use his lacquerware and would not be able to convey the ingenuity and feeling he had put into his work.

What kind of vessels are needed by ordinary users in the world today? Without determining this, there is no way for a production center to make a living. Mr. Uchida began to produce a brand of lacquerware for individuals under the name of Ururindo, and he personally participated in exhibitions and sales at department stores, which was rare for a lacquerware production center at that time.

Lacquerware itself is used as interior decoration. AISOMO COSOMO

The next step Mr. Uchida took was to entrust the production of his own products to a professional. He asked Hirotoshi Maruwaka, a product producer at Maruwakaya, who was known for proposing a new kind of manufacturing by connecting traditional Japanese craftsmanship and the latest technology. The series, which added a playful touch of color to the concept of “familiarity,” made its debut as aisomo cosomo, a line of interior goods. He immediately had them placed in the stores of a large museum outside of the prefecture, but at first they were not even looked at. After a year, however, the series was exhibited at the “Dainippon Ichiba” (Dai Nippon Ichiba), an event organized by Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten, a company that has been developing and manufacturing products based on the vision of “revitalizing traditional Japanese crafts,” and was picked up by major department stores and national-class boutiques one after another.

While daring to move away from the image of luxury that lacquerware has, the quality and traditional techniques of lacquerware can still be felt, making it easy for anyone to pick up and use. Blue, red, yellow. The colorful yet deep colors that somehow fit in with Japan are used in the bi-colors. The shapes and sizes are also carefully selected, including soup bowls, rice bowls, small bowls, chopsticks, trays, and festive plates. The price range is from 2,000 yen to 9,000 yen, making the products accessible to the younger generation. As a long-established company that has focused on lacquering, we were able to create a variety of colors. The atmosphere of being able to use them as interior decorations may have appealed to people with a high level of sensitivity.

Although it takes a large number to develop a brand nationwide, the fact that Ururindo originally had a system in place for medium-volume production led to a winning formula. The company was able to achieve mass production while maintaining high quality. The new lacquerware caught the attention of many people, and the company was invited to participate in exhibitions in Germany, Taiwan, and other foreign countries. In 2012, Mr. Uchida became the youngest person in Fukui Prefecture to be certified as a traditional craftsman at the age of 35.

Dishwasher-safe and easy to clean [RIN&CO.

What further surprised the industry was Mr. Uchida’s announcement in 2020 of “RIN&CO.,” a line of lacquerware that is dishwasher-safe. Lacquer is the world’s finest natural paint. It is said that lacquer becomes hardest 100 years after it is applied. I thought that today’s lacquerware does not bring out its full potential. Usually, the lacquer solution purchased from wholesalers is mixed with chemicals to make it easier to apply. Mr. Uchida researched the blending and processing of lacquer solution in cooperation with Fukui Prefecture and the University of Fukui, and developed “Echizen kata urushi,” a hard coating film that can withstand dishwashing machines. The company also reviewed the wooden base and improved it to make it sturdier and more resistant to cracks and distortion by applying the technique used for commercial lacquerware, in which resin is soaked into wood powder and molded into the surface.

Using the colors we see in our daily lives as vessels

Again, the coloring of the vessels was a particular concern. Hundreds of color patterns were created based on the weather and climate of Hokuriku, and Mr. Manabu Mizuno, known for his “Kumamon” design, was asked to supervise the project. The color is almost gray-blue, which represents the winter sky of Fukui. Navy gray, reminiscent of the rough waves of the Sea of Japan. The light red gradation that colors the horizon at dusk. My father was very opposed to the idea. Cooking experts were very critical of the cold colors, saying that they would decrease one’s appetite,” says Uchida. But when I opened the lid, it was very well received,” says Uchida. The coloring makes you want to place them not only for meals but also in your daily life, and the scenery of the dishes tells us that people’s lives are seasonal. Lacquerware has excellent heat retention properties, so if you serve rice on it, it will not easily get cold and you can enjoy the freshly cooked hotness of the rice.

The “Hakeme technique,” in which the brush marks are left on the surface of the rice, was adopted as a unique coating technique. This technique requires a high level of skill because the paint cannot be repainted, but it creates a pattern that is unique in the world. Scratches are not noticeable. Only the black vessels use the “Shin-nuri-technique,” which leaves no brushstrokes, for a luxurious finish. The matte texture of each piece has been achieved by eliminating the luster. Modern houses are brightly lit, with lighting reaching every corner. If you use glossy dishes, they would look too shiny. The slightly smaller size is calculated to make people want to buy the vessels with the impulse of “kawaii” (cute).

To create a corporate environment where young people want to work.

From a cozy family-run business, Ururindo has increased its staff while expanding production year by year, and now has 12 employees. The reason why there are so many young people is because of the company’s desire to nurture young people who will remain in the production area. Rimindo says, “We actively accept not only art college graduates and those who have studied crafts, but also staff who want to become artisans from the ground up. When the ages of the makers and users are close, I think we can better understand what is needed to make traditional lacquerware resonate with young people,” he says.

In 2021, the company also launched a new line of lacquerware with an updated traditional form that is dishwasher-safe. 100% natural lacquerware can be expected to have antibacterial properties and can be repaired by kintsugi, a process that involves metal splicing. The luxurious, traditional lacquerware is also in high demand as gifts. Lacquer trees grow wild in many Asian countries, but in none of them is lacquerware an industry at all. With crafts in decline worldwide, Ururindo has opened a new avenue of activity for traditional crafts. Naturally, many similar products are being made, but Mr. Uchida is confident that this is proof of the success of his own brand. He says, “I would rather be the imitator than the imitated. Together with the next generation of craftspeople, Uchida will continue to rewrite the history of lacquerware by discovering needs that meet new values.

The dishwasher-safe lacquerware born from customer feedback is made of Echizen hard lacquer, a 100% natural lacquer coating developed through an industry-academia-government collaboration with Fukui Prefecture and the University of Fukui. We hope you will become familiar with this lacquerware for daily use.

The post Rewriting the history of lacquerware with colors and practicality suited to modern life. Toru Uchida, the 8th generation of the lacquer shop “Ururindo” / Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

History of Niigata Lacquerware

Located in the northern part of Niigata Prefecture and the largest city on the Sea of Japan side of Honshu with a population of 810,000, Niigata City has long flourished as a “port city” and was a port of call for “Kitamae Senpaku” (steamships sailing on the Sea of Japan) from the Edo Period to the Meiji Period. As a result, trade in goods flourished, and cultures from various parts of Japan came in one after another from the sea and land.

One of these cultures was that of lacquerware. It is said that the origin of this culture dates back to the early Edo period, about 400 years ago, when “Noshiro Shunkei,” one of the traditional crafts of present-day Akita Prefecture, was introduced to Japan. It is said that a special area for the sale of lacquerware, called wandana, was established in downtown Furumachi and a policy of protection was adopted, attracting a variety of techniques and craftsmen to this area. In the late Edo period (1603-1868), sales of lacquerware expanded not only to Edo and Osaka, but also to Hokkaido, where it evolved into Niigata lacquerware.

Characteristics of Niigata Lacquerware, a Treasure Trove of Henshi-nuri Lacquerware

Niigata lacquerware is characterized by its rich variety of lacquering techniques, which is called “a treasure house of Kawari-nuri” (variant lacquering). The craftsmen’s playful spirit and passion for expressing something by using only the lacquer technique have given birth to this variety of lacquerware.

For example, one of them is “Take-nuri,” in which the texture of bamboo is expressed not with actual bamboo but with lacquer. Originally developed in the Edo period (1603-1867), this technique became popular when it became fashionable for samurai to have their swords’ sheaths lacquered with bamboo, and the technique spread to other regions. It has since taken root in Niigata and some other regions, and is now a representative technique of Niigata lacquerware. The technique is unique in that it uses rusted lacquer mixed with abrasive powder to create bamboo joints and stripes, and Makomo (straw mat) powder to express a sooty texture.

Other techniques include “ishime-nuri,” which expresses the rough texture of stones, and “nishiki-nuri,” characterized by irregular speckled patterns created by layered lacquering.

Fascinated by the beauty of bamboo lacquerware, he became a Niigata lacquerware craftsman.

Momoko Sanada, an active Niigata lacquerware artisan, entered the world of bamboo lacquerware at the age of 24, fascinated by the beauty of bamboo lacquerware. Ms. Sanada, who had never been involved in the industry before, recalls her surprise at the fact that bamboo lacquerware was made entirely with lacquer, and her fascination with the beauty of what appeared to be made of bamboo.

He absorbed the techniques at a speed that surprised everyone around him, and he has continued to hone his skills under the tutelage of a lacquer craftsman who is said to be the best in Niigata. He also felt a sense of mission to connect the history of Niigata, the town where he was born and raised, to the future.

Expressing Modernity with Traditional Craftsmanship

Mr. Sanada’s works have a modernity that rewrites the Japanese image of “traditional crafts. The surfaces are often matte and scratch-resistant, another feature. There are also “Ruri Nuri” (lapis lazuli lacquerware), which resembles lapis lazuli gemstones, and “Beniseki Nuri” (red stone lacquerware), which resembles red stones, and they blend well not only with Japanese cuisine but also with Western cuisine such as Italian and French. They are cool and showcase the potential of the dishes at the table as well.

One of Mr. Sanada’s specialties is “Oborogin-nuri,” or “Oboro Gin-nuri.

This is a reproduction of the Hensen-nuri technique of Shibata Zeshin, a lacquer craftsman of the Edo period, and although it is a wooden product, it has the unique texture of a metal. Shibata Zeshin is widely known for his “Fuji-Tagoura maki-e maki-e frame,” which was exhibited at the Vienna World Exposition in 1873 and won a prize.

The dark atmosphere and subdued brass color have a cold, antique atmosphere, and the chic old-fashioned look creates a serene beauty. Of course, each piece is made by hand. The process of hardening the wood, dressing with cloth, applying rust, and applying the middle coat of lacquer lasts nearly two months. In the middle stage of the process, charcoal powder is sprinkled to give the piece an uneven appearance, as if it has decayed. Although it is a reissue, the finished product is truly modern and contemporary.

Making Niigata a Famous Lacquerware Production Center

Niigata lacquerware has evolved through the convergence of a wide variety of techniques and the individuality of each craftsman. The history of the association is still young, and the scale of Niigata as a lacquerware production center is not so large. In terms of the retail and wholesale markets, Niigata Lacquerware is not as big as other famous lacquerware production centers. Still, Mr. Sanada smiles and says proudly, “I do this work because I love it. Mr. Sanada’s job is to hone his skills as a craftsman and to thoroughly pursue his own unique line of “hen-nuri. He now offers his techniques on a completely custom-made basis, mainly to restaurants. He creates new items one after another based on the restaurant’s image of the food to be served and his imagination to make it stand out. He receives many orders from the Tokyo metropolitan area and overseas, and sometimes has to wait six months or more for delivery.

It has been about 10 years since Mr. Sanada entered the world of lacquerware. At first, he was selfless in his pursuit of “making beautiful things. Now, he continues to be motivated by new challenges.

I am a burly craftsman, a product-maker. Now I enjoy thinking of new coatings. From now on, for example, I want to use a 3D printer to try my hand at something resinous, or even something copper-like.” says Mr. Sanada.

The day may not be far off when Niigata Lacquerware will be talked about around the world as a famous lacquerware production area.

The post The abundance of expression and playfulness are appealing. Niigata Lacquer Ware” Momoko Sanada, known as a treasure house of Hen-nuri lacquerware / Niigata Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Lacquered technology using handwork

Kiso Artech products are characterized by using high quality kiso wood and traditional lacquering techniques. The company continues to present various ideas, from furniture to architectural space design. They also participated in Nakata’s ”ReVALUE NIPPON Project” in 2015. Under the theme of ”Lacquer”, and in collaboration with Nakata, the company produced a lacquerware bathtub and showed off Japan’s high technique to the world. ”Lacquerware is similar to human skin. Some people worry that it might be too slippery, but actually the surface of a lacquered bathtub would feel as if it adheres to you, like human skin,” explained Hirochika Saito, a formative designer and the representative of the company.

Completely waterproof and fireproof lacquered Washi

Saito showed us a wooden wine aerator that is said to enhance the taste of delicious wine. When wine is poured from the top, air comes in from the cut in the center, oxidizing the wine to make the taste mellow. Nakata observed curiously and said, ”I’d really like to try it right away!”.
Next, Nakata was introduced to a rare lacquered ”washi”. ”Beautiful,” Nakata commented on its breathtaking beauty. ”By coating lacquer on it, paper becomes completely waterproof. So it can be used for bathrooms and kitchens,” explained Saito. It has been certified as fireproof material, so it can also be used for the interior of large-scale structures. Currently, lacquered papers are used as wallpaper in airport lounges and foreign-affiliated hotels.

Craftsmanship that can not be imitated by machine

At the workshop. we were allowed to observe lacquer craftsman at work. ”Is it better to have some unevenness of paint to add the human touch, or not?” Nakata inquired. Saito replied, ”I think it is better to have some unevenness. Lacquer painting depends on the craftsman’s sensitivity.” A carpenter was smoothing the surface of wood using a plane. Saito told us the importance of handwork. ”Working with a plane requires the skill of carpenters. You can use a belt sander to shave wood, but it creates small fuzz, and the surface will feel rough. Working with plane is hard and requires skill.”

The post Wood from Kiso and Lacquer Painting “Kiso Artech Co. Ltd., 　Formative Designer Hirochika Saito” first appeared on NIHONMONO.