Its origins are ancient, said to date back to the 6th century. A lacquer craftsman was ordered by the emperor at the time to repaint his crown.
It is said that the origin of ECHIZEN Shikki (Lacquerware) began when a black lacquered dish was presented to the emperor, who was deeply impressed by its exquisite luster and encouraged its production.

• 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, the "tannin base coat preparation" is carried out by repeatedly applying persimmon tannin, local charcoal powder, and pine soot.
  (2) For a base coat made of ground powder, the "ground powder base coat preparation" is carried out by repeatedly applying a mixture of raw lacquer, ground powder, rice paste, etc.

   

  2. The top coat shall be applied using refined lacquer in the "hana-nuri" or "roiro-nuri" style.

   

  3. If decoration is to be added, it shall be done by chinkin (gold inlay) or makie (lacquerware with gold or silver powder).

   

  4. The woodworking shall be carried out in one of the following ways:
  (1) In the case of turned wood, the wood is cut from a standing tree and then shaped using a lathe and a lathe plane.
  (2) In the case of planks, after finishing the planing, the shape shall be formed using a mixture of raw lacquer, rice paste, and wood powder.

   

  raw materials

  １ 漆は、天然漆とすること。

  2. The wood used shall be horse chestnut, birch, zelkova, or katsura, 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 joints, holes, and cracks in the wood with kokuso (expressed as "powdered dung" in Echizen) 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 often only has a top coat finish, sometimes pictures or designs are added. This is called "decoration." Decorations 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 gold line patterns; and "raden," which involves cutting thin pieces of seashell into the shape of a pattern and using them for decoration. Let's take a look at some of the main processes.

  Step 1: Wood preparation

  Broadly speaking, there are two types of pottery: round items such as bowls, and square items such as boxes and trays. Round items are made by shaping wood such as Mizume cherry, horse chestnut, and zelkova on a potter's wheel. Square items are made by cutting, shaping, and assembling wood such as Katsura and Magnolia.

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  Process 2: Undercoat

  The lacquering process involves undercoating and topcoating. Although the undercoat does not appear on the surface of the product, it is a crucial part that affects the quality of the lacquerware, and it involves repeatedly applying and sanding the coat.

  

  Step 3: Top Coat

  Applying the top coat requires skilled techniques to ensure a uniform thickness, as well as delicate drying techniques that maintain a constant temperature and humidity. Humidity is essential for drying lacquer, so the pieces are placed in a drying chamber called a "furo" and rotated to prevent the lacquer from settling unevenly.

  

  工程4： 蒔絵

  There are various techniques for decorating lacquerware. One of them, maki-e, involves dipping a maki-e brush in lacquer to draw a pattern, sprinkling gold or silver powder onto it, and then repeatedly sanding and polishing it to create the finished product.

  

  Process 5: Chinkin

  Chinkin is also a decorative technique. Using a chinkin knife, patterns are engraved using techniques such as line carving and dot carving, and then gold or silver leaf, gold or silver powder, pigments, etc. are fixed into the engraved areas with lacquer to finish the piece.

  

   

• Close-up

  Close-up

  ECHIZEN Shikki (Lacquerware) A high-level harmony of robustness and elegance.

  ECHIZEN Shikki (Lacquerware), affectionately known as Kawada-nuri by lacquerware enthusiasts and locals alike, has ancient origins, said to date back to the 6th century. It remains a thriving lacquerware production area today. Currently, the division of labor is advanced, with craftsmen working in perfect harmony to create the woodwork, apply the lacquer, and add decoration.

   

  If you're born in a village known for lacquerware, it's only natural to take over the family business.

  "My parents and siblings were all involved in lacquer work, and back then, it was expected that I would take over the family business," the craftsmen of Kawada all agree. We spoke to Toku Inoue and Ryoji Yamaguchi, who are in charge of the "wood base" for square lacquerware, Ryuzo Okubo, who is in charge of applying lacquer to the wood base, and Tsuneo Shimizu and Masakazu Hattori, who are in charge of "chinkin," one of the decorative techniques applied to the finished lacquerware. All of them are leading craftsmen of Kawada.

  Working with natural materials, each craftsman accomplishes their work with meticulous attention to detail.

  Of course, there is a commitment to the work at each stage: the woodworking, the painting, and the decoration. But in every job, the common thread is that "we are all working with nature."
  For example, with woodworking, "twisting, warping, bending, and rot are problems. The condition differs for each piece of material, so you have to assess it carefully (Yamaguchi)." "With things like tiered boxes, if there's warping between the upper and lower layers, it becomes wobbly and unusable (Inoue)."
  The application of lacquer is greatly affected by temperature and humidity. "Even if you apply the same lacquer in the morning and afternoon on the same day, the color will change. It also varies depending on the season, of course. October is probably the easiest month to apply it," says Okubo. Creating a robust base, a characteristic of ECHIZEN Shikki (Lacquerware), is also an important part of Okubo's work. Wood and lacquer are all natural materials. They will never stay in the same state. Okubo says that discerning this requires the "seventh sense of a craftsman."
  Chinkin is a decorative technique where gold and silver are inlaid by carving with a chinkin knife. "You don't know the condition until you put a chisel into the finished product. They all look the same from the outside (Shimizu)." "Chinkin is a delicate job that depends on the thickness of the lacquer. The time between when the lacquer is finished and when you start working on it is also important. If the lacquer dries too much, the blade will slip (Hattori)."

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    Tsuneo Shimizu. 52 years of experience in gold inlay.

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    Masakazu Hattori. 34 years of experience in gold inlay.

  Teamwork based on knowing each other inside and out

  In a division of labor, it's necessary to consider aspects beyond your own work. "Having done this for many years, I know the habits of each craftsman at each stage. I make sure to take care to ensure that the next person can do the job happily," says Yamaguchi. A skilled craftsman cannot be said to think that as long as their own work is done well, that's all that matters.

  

  Reiji Yamaguchi. 48 years of experience in woodworking.

  The joy of creating things, the joy of having people use them

  What motivates craftsmen to dedicate themselves to their work every day? "The act of creating things itself, and the joy of completion (Shimizu)." "The best feeling is when something sells. But what makes me even happier is when customers use it every day. It's not good when it ends up in a closet (Okubo)." "A woodturner's job is to come up with the shapes themselves. It's rewarding when I can create something new and make customers happy (Inoue)." A sincere attitude towards craftsmanship and the joy of seeing their creations sought after and useful to others are what sustain these craftsmen.

  • 

    Toku Inoue. 45 years of experience in woodworking for square-shaped wooden objects.

  • 

    Ryuzo Okubo. 55 years of experience in painting round objects.

  From now on, there will be a demand for craftsmen who can propose solutions.

  When asked what kind of work will be in demand going forward, Yamaguchi replied, "A proactive approach. I think there's still plenty of room for growth if we keep thinking up and creating new things." He also added that simply being a craftsman who only makes things isn't enough. For example, Okubo said, "We also need to consider distribution."
  In fact, some interesting experiments are being conducted in Kawada. "We applied it to cosmetic sets and liquor bottles. But when I saw liquor bottles lying around the workplace, I felt a sense of despair..." says Okubo with a laugh.
  Skilled craftsmen who have inherited traditional techniques are working together, pooling their wisdom. I could truly feel the spirit of creating a new century of lacquer culture in the village of Kawada. Finally, I would like to share another quote from lacquer craftsman Okubo: "It's no good saying, 'I'm busy now, so I'll try various things when I have free time.' It's the things I've tried while I was busy that have remained with me now. I can't do anything once I have free time." This is the spirit of a craftsman who strives to move forward while mastering one thing.

  Anecdotes

  Craftsmanship learned from failure

  Even craftsmen with decades of experience in this field sometimes make mistakes. But when I asked if every craftsman has ever made a mistake, they laughed and replied, "All the time." This surprised me a little, because I had always assumed that a craftsman's work was always perfect and without any mistakes. More accurately, the finished product is perfect, but mistakes do occur in the process of getting there.
  "Since everything is done in harmony with nature, failures are inevitable," says lacquer craftsman Okubo. Skilled craftsmen, of course, make fewer mistakes. But that's not all. It's also necessary to correct mistakes without giving up. "Young people give up when they see their work being returned (rejected during inspection in the next process). More items get returned than returned." It seems that being a craftsman means honing your skills by learning from your mistakes.

  • 

    Mr. Okubo skillfully applies lacquer to the square tray.

  • 

    "This is what you'd call a lacquerware craftsman's workshop. It's messy..." he laughs.