It all began in the latter half of the 16th century with the use of the potter's wheel by groups of craftsmen who migrated in search of good materials.
The technique became established around Yamanaka Onsen, and in the mid-Edo period, in addition to everyday items such as bowls and trays, lacquerware also developed alongside the hot springs, with people making and selling souvenir toys to meet the demands of visitors to the hot springs. In the first half of the 19th century, painting techniques and maki-e (gold lacquer) techniques were introduced, laying the foundation for the beautiful Yamanaka Takamaki-e that we see today.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. The woodworking process shall be carried out using the following techniques or methods:
  (1) Shape the object using a potter's wheel and a potter's plane.
  (2) Use a "woodworker's knife" for polishing.
  (3) The lathe plane and the "woodworker's knife" must be made using the "fire forging" method.
  (4) When decorating, use the "scoring" method.

   

  2. The lacquer coating shall be applied in one of the following ways:
  (1) In the case of wiped lacquer, after rubbing in refined raw lacquer, a mixture of refined raw lacquer and refined transparent lacquer is rubbed in to give it a "glossy finish".
  (2) In the case of wood grain lacquer, no undercoat is applied, and refined raw lacquer is rubbed directly into the wood, then it is "scraped" and refined transparent lacquer is applied.
  (3) In the case of "black lacquer," "vermilion lacquer," "vermilion lacquer," "red iron oxide lacquer," and "koma lacquer," the base coat is applied, followed by the intermediate coat and sanding of the intermediate coat, and then the top coat is applied.

   

  raw materials

  １ 漆は、天然漆とすること。

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

• Work scene

  Work scene

  Generally, the lacquering process can be explained in four main stages.
  First, the "wood base" is created by selecting raw wood from highly durable trees such as zelkova, Japanese cherry, horse chestnut, cherry, chestnut, and magnolia, and then shaping the wood according to its form. At this stage, the key is the proper drying of the raw wood to obtain a wood base without warping, and the skill of the craftsman to finish it to precise dimensions.
  The wooden base, crafted by a woodworker, is sent for priming before proceeding to the lacquering process. This priming work is not visible in the finished lacquerware. However, it is no exaggeration to say that the durability of the lacquerware and the quality of the topcoat depend on the quality of this priming work. This includes tasks such as filling holes and cracks in the joints and scratches of the wooden base with kokuso (a type of filler) and reinforcing vulnerable areas with cloth.
  After the undercoating process, the painting finally begins. Lacquer involves repeatedly applying and sanding the lacquer, progressing through the undercoat, intermediate coat, and topcoat stages. Moisture is necessary for the applied lacquer to "dry," and it might be easier to understand it as "hardening" rather than simply "drying." The drying speed is affected by daily weather conditions, and this is where the craftsman's skill is put to the test. The final topcoat is applied with the utmost care, ensuring that not even the slightest dust or dirt adheres to it.
  While everyday lacquerware is often finished with only a top coat, sometimes pictures or designs are added. This is called "decoration." Examples of decoration include "makie," which involves sprinkling gold and silver powder; "chinkin," which involves carving patterns into a lacquered surface and then applying gold leaf to create a gold line pattern; and "raden," which involves cutting thin pieces of seashell into the shape of a design and using them as decoration.
  Now, let's take a look at some of the main steps.

  Step 1: Wood base

  Using mainly zelkova and horse chestnut as raw materials, YAMANAKA Shikki (Lacquerware) technique that minimizes warping of the wood grain, a method not seen in other production areas. All the tools used in the work, such as planes, are handmade by craftsmen, and the lacquerware products, which feature decorative turning techniques such as fine lines and inlay, utilize highly advanced skills. Yamanaka's lathe turning is highly regarded by other production areas for its advanced techniques.

  

  Process 2: Groundwork

  This process involves repeatedly applying and sanding a mixture of lacquer and base powder. It's a step that adds strength and makes the surface smooth.

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  Step 3: Top Coat

  This process involves applying lacquer in colors such as black and vermilion with a brush. This creates a deep, beautiful lacquer finish. Meticulous care is taken to prevent even the smallest particles of dust from adhering to the surface.

  

  工程4： 蒔絵

  The term "makie" originates from the practice of sprinkling gold, silver, or other powders onto patterns drawn with lacquer. Elegant designs ranging from flowers, birds, and landscapes to traditional motifs and geometric patterns are applied, resulting in products with a unique and delicate quality.

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• Close-up

  Close-up

  YAMANAKA Shikki (Lacquerware): Unrivaled lathe turning techniques

  YAMANAKA Shikki (Lacquerware) is said to have originated in the Azuchi-Momoyama period when lathe workers migrated to a village upstream of Yamanaka Onsen. Their highly advanced lathe techniques, which can be described as artistic, even made it possible to decorate the wood during the initial stages of preparation.

   

  The workshop is filled with the scent of wood.

  The defining characteristic of YAMANAKA Shikki (Lacquerware) is undoubtedly its overwhelming woodturning technique. Recognized by other lacquerware producing regions as the pinnacle of Japanese craftsmanship, this exquisite technique is so remarkable that it could be considered an art form in itself. In his workshop, filled with the scent of wood, traditional craftsman Minoru Yamamoto worked at the lathe, his carving producing a pleasant, crisp sound.

  

  It is being scraped away with a pleasant, sharp sound.

  Making tools, that is, doing it yourself from a blacksmith.

  "There's a demand for craftsmen who can turn anything," says Yamamoto. "If asked, I intend to turn any shape." The secret to this confidence lies in the rows of planes lined up. Planes are long-handled blades used to shave wood attached to a lathe. "There are about 200 here alone. This is only a small portion," he says, which is surprising.
  "Making the plane itself is also a craftsman's job. I do it myself, starting from the blacksmith. When I'm turning a new shape of wood, I make a new plane." Because he makes his own tools, he can turn any shape. He also says that the shape of the plane differs from craftsman to craftsman. "Even with the same plane, the shape (turned) will change depending on the person using it. In the old days, the master would teach the basic methods and how to make the tools, and then it was up to the craftsmen to 'make it themselves and figure it out'..."
  The difficulty of woodworking lies in the fact that if you carve too much, you can't go back. It's a demanding job that requires both speed and meticulousness.

  

  Planes are also made by the craftsmen themselves.

  Unrivaled decorative turning techniques from other regions.

  The key to turning wood on a potter's wheel is "to get the hang of it. For example, with a bowl, you need to make sure the center is perfectly flat." Because the wood is rotating, it's difficult to turn the center part neatly.
  Decorative turning is a traditional technique that uses cutting tools to decorate the surface of turned wood. There are said to be 40 to 50 types of decorative turning techniques, but among them, the most famous is the thread-marking technique, which involves carving grooves called "suji" at very short intervals in parallel. It is said that it is possible to make several grooves within a millimeter. This serves both to enhance the beauty and to prevent slipping when held in the hand. It is truly a highly skilled technique born from the pride of the woodturner. Also, the wood used in Yamanaka is cut vertically. Decorative turning is said to be difficult with horizontal cutting due to the grain pattern.

  A special potter's wheel that also controls the rotation speed.

  The secret to his decorative turning technique lies in the unique mechanism of his potter's wheel. Using two flat belts, the wheel allows for control of rotation speed, including reverse rotation. "Decorative turning is impossible with a wheel that rotates at a constant speed," he explains. The wheel is rotated by hooking the power-transmitting flat belts onto the rotating shaft using a foot pedal. The degree to which the belts are hooked adjusts the rotational force. One of the two belts is twisted once, so hooking this belt causes the wheel to rotate in the opposite direction. It's easiest to understand if you imagine it as working like a car's clutch, transmitting and disconnecting rotational force.

  A smooth workflow, always thinking ahead.

  He feels the vibrations transmitted from the plane and knife through his hands and arms, subtly controlling the amount of force he applies, while simultaneously adjusting the rotation speed of the potter's wheel with his feet. "You just have to learn it through experience. It's not something you can do just by being taught."
  Furthermore, "The hardness of wood differs between the center and the outer edge. Therefore, even within a single piece of wood, there are soft and hard parts." This is why sawing wood is said to be more difficult than cutting metal.
  Around Mr. Yamamoto, planes and knives are neatly arranged within easy reach, along with numerous whetstones for sharpening them. He sharpens the planes on the whetstones with lightning speed, adjusts the rotation speed of the lathe while planing the wood, changes planes, sharpens, and plans again. There are no gaps in the entire process. "As I'm turning, I'm always thinking about which part to plane next." What was just a log is quickly transformed into a beautiful vessel. His fluid work is something you could watch forever without getting bored. That is what a craftsman's skill is all about.

  

  Yamamoto says that you learn your job by doing.

  Craftsman Profile

  Minoru Yamamoto

  A traditional craftsman, he has 49 years of experience in pottery wheel turning. He says he's willing to turn "any shape" if requested.

  Anecdotes

  The deep connection between mountain hot springs and lacquerware

  Yamanaka is famous not only for its lacquerware but also for its hot springs. Yamanaka Onsen has long been a beloved hot spring for literary figures, with Matsuo Basho staying there for nine days during his journey on the "Narrow Road to the Deep North" and leaving behind the haiku, "In Yamanaka, I will not pick the chrysanthemums, for the scent of the hot springs is enough" (If you bathe in the Yamanaka hot springs, you will attain longevity without even needing to drink the dew from the chrysanthemums that grant eternal youth and longevity). As the hot springs developed, tableware made by woodworkers from upstream began to be used as souvenirs for visitors seeking therapeutic bathing.
  Later, the woodworkers who traveled down the river further honed their skills, establishing the turned wood base that forms the foundation of modern YAMANAKA Shikki (Lacquerware). YAMANAKA Shikki (Lacquerware) is a type of lacquerware that has been nurtured in close connection with hot springs.

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    The thread-like pattern, characteristic of YAMANAKA Shikki (Lacquerware), is beautiful.