At the beginning of the Edo period, a master carpenter who was building shrines and temples in the castle town of Takayama happened to discover the beautiful grain of a cypress tree he had split,
From there, a beautiful hegime tray was painted. It is said that the name Shunkei-nuri came about because the color scheme resembled that of Kato Kagemasa's Hishunkei, a masterpiece of tea ceremony utensils.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. For the base coat, apply soybean juice, casein, etc., repeatedly.

  2. For the lacquering process, refined raw lacquer is "rubbed" and then refined transparent lacquer is applied.

  3. The woodworking process shall be carried out in one of the following ways:
  (1) In the case of turned metalwork, the shape shall be formed using a lathe and a lathe plane.
  (2) In the case of sheet metal or bent metal, the metal that has been "split into small pieces," "split to form the joints," or "finished planed by hand" shall be formed by "fastening," "rounding the corners," or "cutting the corners," or by using rollers or the like.

   

  raw materials

  １ 漆は、天然漆とすること。

  2. The wood used shall be cypress, sawara cypress, horse chestnut, or hiba cypress, or timber of equivalent quality.

• Work scene

  Work scene

  The materials used for HIDA Shunkei (Lacquerware) include cypress, sawara cypress, and horse chestnut. After being thoroughly air-dried for 5 to 6 years, the wood is prepared into a base by a woodworker. The finished base is then passed on to a lacquerer, who applies an undercoat, rubbed finish, and topcoat. The lacquering process takes 3 to 4 months from start to finish. By repeatedly applying and rubbing in layers of lacquer, a beautiful and durable lacquerware is created.

  Process 1: Log

  After natural drying in open stacks, the lumber is processed into planks at a sawmill.

  Process 2: Natural drying

  The planks are stacked up to dry, and then allowed to air dry completely in the warehouse.

  Step 3: Sawmilling and wood selection

  Cut the board to the size of the product.

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  Step 4: Woodworking

  Hegime-shi (wood grain pattern maker)... They create rectangular items (trays, tiered boxes, etc.) by patterning the wood grain. The joints between the planks are glued with animal glue (an adhesive made from animal bones, hides, intestines, etc.). Chemical adhesives like glue are not used because the lacquer will not adhere to them.

  

  A craftsman who bends boards to create round vessels (trays, inkstone boxes, etc.). They use a wooden roller called a "koro" to shape the boards, glue the joined parts together with animal glue, and reinforce them with cherry bark (kanbatoji).

  

  Woodturner... A woodturner attaches a board to a lathe and uses a cutting tool to carve out the shape while the board rotates. They make items such as trays, confectionery containers, and tea coasters.

  

  Step 5: Sealing

  The finished wooden base is then passed on to the lacquerer. After polishing the wood, a fine-grained clay is applied to prevent uneven application of lacquer and ensure that the color blends well during the coloring process. This pore-filling process is said to be the most important step in the entire process, as it ensures uniformity of the wood base.

  Step 6: Coloring

  Add a light yellow or red color.

  Step 7: Primer

  Soybeans are soaked in water, ground in a mortar, and then strained to create a thin film called "gojiru." This film is applied two or three times to prevent the lacquer from soaking into the wood too quickly.

  

  Step 8: Finishing polish

  Sand the surface of the wood with sandpaper.

  Step 9: Applying lacquer

  A mixture of raw lacquer and perilla oil is rubbed into the wood, then wiped off with a cloth to allow the lacquer to soak in. Repeating this process several times makes the wood hard and transparent.

  

  Step 10: Top Coat

  Each lacquerer applies a transparent lacquer that they have blended themselves (the transparent lacquer is made by each lacquerer refining raw lacquer, and the technique is kept secret). Meticulous care is taken with the top coat, as even the slightest dust is unacceptable. Furthermore, the type of lacquer used varies depending on the season, temperature, and humidity of the day.

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  *Refined Lacquer Refined lacquer is made by processing lacquer liquid according to its intended use. It goes through two processes: "nayashi" and "kurome". "Nayashi" involves mixing raw lacquer in a shallow wooden container. In this process, the components of the lacquer are uniformly dispersed and the particles become finer. "Kurome" is the process of evaporating the water in the lacquer liquid, and is carried out at a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius or lower. After "nayashi" and "kurome", impurities are removed and the lacquer is filtered to produce refined lacquer.

  

  工程11： 乾燥

  They are placed inside a large, cabinet-like drying room called a "furo," and thoroughly dried at a suitable temperature.
• Close-up

  Close-up

  HIDA Shunkei (Lacquerware) A culmination of the skills of woodworkers and lacquerers.

  As the saying goes, "Shunkei lacquerware embodies the traditional crafts of Hida," and indeed, HIDA Shunkei (Lacquerware) is completed through the integrated process of "woodworking" and "lacquering." We spoke with three craftsmen: two woodworkers who use different techniques to create the wood base, and a lacquerer.

   

  Shigeru Noguchi, a craftsman who creates "wooden objects" by processing planks.

  Our first stop was Shigeru Noguchi, a woodturner who specializes in "board" woodworking. Mr. Noguchi was working on a ceremonial tray made of Japanese cypress, and was creating the "hegime" technique, which involves carving out the soft annual rings of the wood grain with a cutting tool. The Japanese cypress wood before the lacquer was applied was white and looked soft, and the beauty of the "hegime" was impressive, different from that of the finished product.

  The appearance of the "crimson markings" is so different before and after the painting is done.

  The skill of a woodworker lies in discerning the quality of the wood.

  "The spacing of the annual rings and the softness vary depending on the material being used, so it takes time to get used to it," says Noguchi. "You have to be able to discern the properties of the wood and dry and cut it in a way that suits it. This is where many years of experience and refined skills are required.

  It is also the woodworker's role to uphold and pass on the established rules.

  HIDA Shunkei (Lacquerware), which originated with tea ceremony utensils, is characterized by its many established rules. The joints of the bentwood pieces are glued with animal glue and then reinforced with cherry bark (kanbasashi). In the tea ceremony, even numbers are disliked, so the pieces are inserted in odd numbers, such as one or three. The corner cuts are also made in odd numbers. Furthermore, the work is only done on the "front" side of the wood. It takes many years of experience to bring the most beautiful wood grain to the front side. "Recently, there are craftsmen who do things in ways that don't conform to the rules, but it is important to preserve the tradition that has been passed down for 400 years," says Noguchi.

  "Let's create products from the customer's perspective. Let's sharpen them one more time, plane them one more time, and be careful."

  This is Mr. Noguchi's belief. "If you put in the effort, you'll create something worthwhile. I remind myself to value that more than profit." The spirit of a woodworker who prioritizes trust with lacquerers and customers was evident in his consistently calm expression.

  Kenichi Kawakami, a craftsman who creates "turned wood" by hollowing it out on a lathe.

  Woodworking is divided into "flat pieces" and "turned pieces," which are made by hollowing out wood on a lathe. Next, we visited Kenichi Kawakami, the youngest of the seven woodturners belonging to the cooperative.

  The work of a woodturner begins with making the tools.

  The workshop is lined with about 50 different tools, mainly planes and shavers. "It takes more than three years to make tools, five to seven years to judge materials, and ten years to become proficient in all aspects of the job. That's what I've used as a guideline. But when an order for a new product comes in, I have to start learning from scratch again, so it's never really the end," says Kawakami.

  They use different types of tools, such as "shaka" and "kanna," which have slightly different blade tips and thicknesses.

  Woodworking that leaves no room for deception

  The biggest challenge is that the knots in the wood are unusable. The knots contain more oil than the rest of the wood, causing the lacquer to repel. Even Mr. Kawakami, with his 30 years of experience, says that out of 50 pieces he makes, 5 to 10 will be like that. Also, with HIDA Shunkei (Lacquerware), which uses transparent lacquer, the quality of the wood underneath is completely revealed. Even the smallest chip in the blade means the wood cannot be sent to the lacquerer. "It's a job where the skill of the woodworker is put to the test, and there's no room for deception. There's a quality to it that can't be faked," Mr. Kawakami told us.

  Yoshikata Suzuki, a lacquer craftsman who carries on the legacy of the founder.

  The wooden base, finished by the woodworker, is then passed on to the lacquerer. "When you see a good wooden base, you feel motivated to do your best in the lacquering," says Yoshikata Suzuki, the 15th head of the Narita school of lacquering. The lacquering process takes three to four months from start to finish. The lacquer is applied in layers and rubbed in repeatedly, and finally a final coat is applied to create a beautiful and durable lacquerware piece.

  Each lacquer craftsman creates lacquer that suits their own style.

  The lacquer used for the top coat is a secret blend created by the lacquerer himself. "Sometimes, when I bring what I consider to be the best lacquer to someone else, they say it's terrible," says Mr. Suzuki. The wind direction, sunlight, temperature, and humidity of the house all have a big influence, so each lacquer is refined to suit the specific house. The refined lacquer, which has been blackened (to remove moisture), is left to age for 5 to 6 years. This long aging process makes the texture finer, resulting in an even more beautiful finish.

  Using living lacquer

  The refined lacquer is then used in different ways depending on the season and the humidity of the day. "When you work with lacquer, there are times when it helps you, when it protects you," says Suzuki. At such times, he says he truly feels that lacquer is a living thing.

  A finish that enhances the beauty of the wood grain.

  The beauty of the wood grain, brought out by the woodworker, is further enhanced when it reaches the hands of the lacquerer. "I always hope to create a lacquer finish that maximizes the unique expression of each individual piece of wood and conveys that to the customer," says Mr. Suzuki. What I strongly felt when visiting the three craftsmen was their mutual trust and close relationship. HIDA Shunkei (Lacquerware), which I had previously felt was unapproachable due to its delicate wood grain and unique luster, had somehow become something warm and familiar.

  A brush made from the hair of a young woman. When the tips become uneven, you cut them off and continue using it.

  Craftsman Profile

  Shigeru Noguchi

  Born in 1930. Received an honor in the autumn of 2000.

  "I want people to use lacquerware flexibly, without being overly formal," and "Meals prepared using HIDA Shunkei (Lacquerware) taste completely different."