It all began during the Muromachi period when a powerful family in this region encouraged the planting of lacquer trees.
During the Azuchi-Momoyama period, a warlord from Omi Province came to rule Aizu. He invited lacquerware artisans from Omi to Aizu, spreading their techniques and promoting the development of lacquerware craftsmanship and technological advancements. As a result, lacquerware production in Aizu rapidly became an industrialized industry.
Subsequently, AIZU Nuri (Lacquerware), which incorporated maki-e (gold lacquer) techniques from Kyoto, steadily developed and spread, and by the mid-Edo period, it even obtained permission from the shogunate to attempt overseas exports. Although its power as a production center weakened temporarily during the turmoil of the Meiji Restoration, it later regained its vitality and reached its peak.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. The base preparation shall be carried out by one of the following methods:
  (1) For a tannin base coat, apply a mixture of persimmon tannin, charcoal powder, pine soot, or oil soot, then sand it down repeatedly, and then apply persimmon tannin.
  (2) For a rust-colored base coat, apply a mixture of raw lacquer and polishing powder.

   

  2. The top coat shall be "Hana-nuri," "Kijiro-nuri," or "Kinmushikui-nuri."

   

  3. When adding decoration, one of the following methods shall be used:
  (1) For lacquerware with powdered gold, flat lacquerware, round powder lacquerware, gold ground, and vermilion polished finishes, after sprinkling gold powder, silver powder, vermilion powder, or other powders, refined raw lacquer is repeatedly rubbed into the surface.
  (2) In woodblock prints, cloud shapes should be depicted.
  (3) In the case of Aizu paintings, after painting the cypress fence, a diamond-shaped gold leaf is applied.
  (4) In the case of iron rust lacquer, the painting is done using a mixture of raw lacquer and rust clay, and then the surface is polished by sprinkling with a mixture of ground powder and polishing powder, or a mixture of these with red iron oxide.
  (5) In the case of colored powder lacquerware, after sprinkling the colored powder, polish it using Japanese paper coated with wax.
  (6) In the case of chinkin, the process involves carving with a chisel, rubbing in refined lacquer, and then applying gold leaf or sprinkling powder.

   

  raw materials

  １ 漆は、天然漆とすること。

  2. The wood used shall be magnolia, horse chestnut, zelkova, or sen wood, or timber of equivalent quality.

• Work scene

  Work scene

  Lacquered items, which boast a unique, lustrous sheen, are created through numerous processes and the skilled hands of craftsmen, starting with the drying of the base material. In particular, the drying process of the base material and the preparation of the undercoat, which are not visible on the surface, determine the quality of the lacquered item. Here, we will introduce some of these complex processes.

  Process 1: Rough grinding

  The materials, such as horse chestnut and zelkova, are roughly sawn and then dried for a long time to prevent warping.

  

  Step 2: Turning on the potter's wheel

  We use a potter's wheel to create the wooden base. Gradually, the shape of the bowl begins to emerge.

  

  Step 3: Preparing the base

  Next, we apply a rust-like finish to the wood. This is the most important step in the lacquering process.

  

  Step 4: Sharpening

  The surface is polished to improve the adhesion of the lacquer and to eliminate any unevenness.

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  Step 5: Painting

  After completing the intermediate coat and sanding steps, it's finally time for the top coat. To ensure even drying, we occasionally flip the piece upside down.

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  工程6： 蒔絵

  The process involves drawing pictures with lacquer and then sprinkling gold powder, colored gold powder, and other materials onto them. A variety of techniques are used to complete the maki-e (lacquerware with gold or silver powder) design.