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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Learning from a Human National Treasure

How can one best express the luster of “urushi” lacquer? Gentle, shiny, deep…” The “urushi” bowl in front of me has such deep indescribable luster. This lacquerware was made by Yukiko Hachiya. She was born in Yamagata city and graduated as a Japanese Art major at the Tohoku University of Art & Design. After graduation, she continued her studies at the Ishikawa Prefectural Training Institute of Woodturning where she learned to make bowls. She recalls the four years at the institute as “such a luxurious time in my time. “
“It was such a great environment! I had great teachers. One of my teachers was Master Ryozo Kawakita and he taught me step by step.“ It was not only woodcraft techniques about wood turnery, but he taught but lacquering, from “fukiurushi” to mother-of -pearl inlays, to gold and silver lacquers.
“When we learn all these things, we come to realize how important the basic woodcraft is for lacquerware. If you skip the necessary steps in woodcraft, no matter how you apply the lacquer, it will all show up in the result. I studied from the turnery wood crafting all the way up to lacquering, and it convinced me how important each process is.“

Works that exist in the daily life

While she was studying at the institute, her work won an award at the 49th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition. After her studies in Ishikawa Prefecture, she came back to Yamagata and started to started creating on her own. Reflecting on her realization during the days she spent in Ishikawa, she is one of the few craftsmen to carry out the entire process from wood turning to lacquer finishing. It is based on her desire to make things that can be used every day.
””Urushi” lacquer becomes stronger with every wash. I don’t know if people knew about this, but so maybe even unconsciously they were thinking about the ease of use. I hope that the items I make are the kind of items people will want to pick up in their hands and use.“. She says. And for that purpose, it is important that the wood turning is done cleanly, and into an easy to use shape. Thus the importance of her job as a wood turner.

The deep luster of “urushi” lacquer

And after wood turning comes her job as a lacquer artist. It is easy to say just lacquer art as one phrase, but in fact there are so many methods of working with lacquer. Hachiya often tends to use the “fukiurushi” method. Nakata asked why she works with “fukiurushi”, and she replied she actually wanted to work on gold and silver painting but now she is into “fukiurushi” because she realized the depth of the technique.
“This finish is not possible without good woodturning and beautiful finish in unpainted woodwork. “Fukiurushi” literally translates into “wipe lacquer”. Lacquer painted on the raw wood work is wiped away, except the tiny bit that is left on. This process is repeated again and again. This results in a deep luster that is unachievable with other methods. So “fukiurushi” is a very luxurious finish.“
Perhaps her involvement in the entire process, starting with woodturning, enables her to bring out the luxurious beauty of the technique.
Hachiya says she loves discovering beautiful things. She says she notices a lot of “beautiful things” besides her lacquerware. When we mentioned the oriental carpet maker that we visited during our visit to Yamagata, she said that’s one of the things she would like to have some day. She also knew about the Tajine pot that Nakata and Michi Nara collaborated on. “That pot is really interesting” she told us enthusiastically.

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The difference between “Hidehira Wan” and “Hidehira Nuri”

When you talk about lacquer ware from Iwate, ”Hidehira Nuri” is what comes to mind. As its name suggests, it was created during the Hidehira Fujiwara period, and is lacquer ware using plenty of local lacquer and gold, and it is one of the symbolic items from the gold culture of Hiraizumi.
We visited the studio/home of Morio Oikawa who has a long career as a lacquer artist. In his home, there were many lacquer ware. Amongst that there were many ”Hidehira Nuri. Oikawa brought out a set which consists of 3 pieces to serve a bowl of soup and a vegetable dish. This was ”Hidehira Wan” that Oikawa reproduced.
The name sounds similar but actually this ”Hidehira Wan” is the origin of the current ”Hidehira Nuri”. Lacquer ware with an elegant shape, exquisite pattern, and a thick body. It makes your heart tremble just looking at it.

Taking over the family business of making lacquer ware

Oikawa was born in Masuzawa area in Iwate Prefecture. It is an area famous for carpentry from the old days, and during the Meiji Era the ”Masuzaka Nuri” lacquerware was established as an industry. In fact this area was considered to have been making ”Hidehira Wan” for many years, and there was research about ”Hidehira Wan” by a famous folk crafts movement leader Muneyoshi Yanagi. At that time, ”Masuzaka Nuri” was basically just one color since it was made for daily use. On the other hand, there is a history of restoring ”Hidehira Nuri” which incorporated gold and patterns, which was the characteristic of ”Hidehira Wan”.
Oikawa told us, ”Making Lacquer ware by hand was one of the joys in the countryside.” ”People in this region love to make things. And everyone was involved in making ”Masuzawa Nuri”. ”Masuzawa Nuri” uses plenty of lacquer and it is layered several times which makes it very sturdy. They were not sold very widely, and only sold directly to those using it.”
The elegant patterned ”Hidehira Nuri” which is now a standard, has been mass produced since the Taisho Era. Masuzawa region is now under a dam and Oikawa is the last lacquer artist in Masuzawa.

Lacquerware is not a luxury item and should be used daily

One of our staff said, ”lacquer ware seems like a luxury item” and Oikawa replied ”That is a problem, when people think that way.” Currently Oikawa is making ”Masuzawa Nuri” rather than ”Hidehira Nuri”. Basically going back to making more practical lacquer ware.
”Lacquer ware is not necessarily a luxury item. It is only receiving the wealth from nature.” Oikawa told us that lacquerware is a daily tool so it is important that they are easy to use. ”One of the problems is that a lot of people are making things thinking that they are artists. Artists and artisans are completely different. An artisan has to make good products and also make a large quantity. That is the basic idea.” He wants to send a warning to his own field of lacquerware.

To adopt lacquerware as a day to day product. Lacquer can be repaired again and again, so sometimes a lacquerware returns to be repaired after 10 – 20 years of use. This is the proof of the lacquerware being continuously used.
”If you continue that kind of work, we can survive. So we want to keep selling to the people whom we know by their faces. It is such a pleasure to connect that way.” Oikawa shared his feelings as an artisan.

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Number one in domestic lacquer production in Japan

When people think of lacquer ware, they often think of ”products such as ”Wajima Nuri ”and ”Aizu Nuri” but Iwate is actually the number one producer in Japan for lacquer itself. Joboji, Ninohe is one of the most famous places. We visited Kenji Suzuki, ”Urushikaki” (drawing sap from lacquer tree) specialist and lacquer painter who harvests lacquer himself at Joboji and produces lacquer ware.

Suzuki was born to a family where his father and grandfather were lacquer painters. He also started working with lacquer but also was inspired to ”make something special”.
He wanted to not only perfect his painting, but also to be selective about the lacquer itself. When he was thinking about that his mentor who had studied in Aizu, Fukushima Prefecture said, ”If you want to be good, go to Joboji”. So he became a long term scholar in the Traditional Folk Skill Trainee System from Japan Lacquer Technique Preservation Committee. That was the beginning of his relationship with Joboji.

What changed after collecting lacquer himself

Suzuki worked at a workshop called Tekiseisha which is run by Ninohe city for 5 years, and is now independent, but he still sells his lacquer pieces at Tekiseisha. As we mentioned earlier, he is also a lacquer sap collector.
Normally the work for drawing the sap and painting lacquer are separate tasks. However, Suzuki wanted to study more about the lacquer itself and started drawing the sap himself. When he started collecting the sap, ”I felt the lacquer became more precious.”
”You can only collect the sap between June to October. You need to find the trees before that and care for it and allow it to grow. So you need to live in the mountain for half of the year. You can only spend the rest of the year creating, and production definitely decreases. But by collecting the sap myself, I developed a greater appreciation for the lacquer.”

Selectively choosing the lacquer tree

Nakata had also tried collecting sap at Joboji in the past. He remembered that when he tried it, he was surprised that the quantity and quality of the sap was different depending on the person who collects it. Suzuki commented, ”Yes, it certainly is difficult”. The lacquer you get will depend on the each tree. It also depends how you grow them. So you have to judge all these things and deal with each tree individually. By being selective of the lacquer, the joy in production increases.

Compared to Aizu Nuri and Wajima Nuri, most of the lacquerware from Joboji are more simple. Suzuki told us, ”They are better at the technique for processing lacquer. But as a result, Joboji established the simple layering technique.”
Layering the lacquer many times produces something quite special. It may not look flamboyant but the real power of lacquer itself comes out. There are many repeat customers. Lacquerware painted with lacquer that Suzuki himself collected from the tree. The charm is a result of the dedication to the process that has been nurtured at Joboji.

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Combination of Japanese Asian techniques

Yorishige Matsudaira, the grandson of Ieyasu Tokugawa, greatly contributed to the production of lacquer ware in Kagawa. Yorishige Matsudaira was the first feudal lord of the Sanuki Takamatsu clan. He moved to Takamatsu from Mito, receiving some land from Tokugawa in 1638. The artistic feudal lord had extensive knowledge of lacquerware and sculptures, and enjoyed the art of tea ceremony and flower arrangement. He is said to have promoted lacquerware production and helped nurture artisans.
With support from the feudal lord, the lacquerware industry blossomed, and skilled artisans and great masters appeared in large numbers.
Zokoku Tamakaji was called the father of lacquerware late in the Edo Period. The artist explored lacquerware techniques such as ”kinma”, ”zonsei” and ”choshitsu” and combined them with classic Japanese techniques to creative his own original techniques, which became the foundation of ”Kagawa shikki”.”

Technique of creating Kagawa shikki

”Kinma” involves repeatedly applying lacquer, carving patterns with a carving knife called ”ken”, filling the carved parts with colored lacquer, and polishing. This process is carried out for each color of lacquer including red and yellow. The whole process involves about 60 steps in total.
”Zonsei” is a technique where a pattern is drawn using colored lacquer on a lacquered base, carving the outline with the ”ken”, and using fine knives to carve the delicate lines.
”Choshitsu” involves repeated application of lacquer and carving of the surface with the ”ken” to create patterns. The characteristic of ”Kagawa shikki” is that the lacquer is applied repeatedly, creating many layers. For instance, dozens of layers of red lacquer and green lacquer are applied, and the layers are carved to expose the underlying color. The depth of the carving creates different tones of red and green. The layer of lacquer is only a few millimeters, so delicacy and precision is required. The result is a 3-dimensional artwork of beautiful colors.

Bold conception and delicate work

The biggest characteristic of ”Kagawa shikki” is the highly artistic methods that exceed folk craft. Nakata visited the workshop of Hayato Otani.
Otani, a lacquer ware artisan, is especially skilled at applying lacquer onto ”rantai” made from woven bamboo strips using the ”kinma” method.
His skills have received wide acclaim, and he has won prizes and awards including the Takamatsunomiya Memorial Award in 1998 and Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2009. Hitoshi Ota, a Living National Treasure and ”Kagawa shikki” artisan, predicted that Otani would be one of the prominent figures in ”Kagawa shikki”.

The exquisite patterns

To avoid creating a very craft-like, primitive bamboo basket, he makes a mold using wood, and weaves bamboo strips using the mold, then removes the mold.

At the workshop, Nakata tried carving with the ”ken”. Only delicate and careful work can create the exquisite patterns.
Seventeen lacquerware artists have been designated as Living National Treasures in Japan. Four of them are from Kagawa.
This is proof that lacquerware art has taken root and developed successfully in Kagawa since the time of Yorishige Matsudaira.

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