During the Nara period, influenced by Tang Dynasty China, the techniques that form the basis of maki-e (gold lacquer) were developed. This technique was passed down to Kyoto with the relocation of the capital to Heian-kyo (Kyoto) and further developed there.
KYO Shikki (Lacquerware) flourished from the Muromachi period onward, spreading alongside the tea ceremony culture that thrived in Kyoto, and eventually becoming the center of the national lacquerware industry. Its driving force was the works, techniques, and skills left behind by numerous master craftsmen, resulting in exceptional quality and design achieved through meticulous craftsmanship.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. The preparation of the base coat and the application of lacquer shall be carried out in one of the following ways:
  (1) In the case of multi-colored lacquering, the following techniques or methods shall be used:
  (i) For the base coat, raw lacquer or a mixture of raw lacquer and rice paste is applied directly to the wood, followed by "cloth covering" or "paper covering," and then a mixture of raw lacquer and polishing powder is repeatedly applied.
  (b) The process of applying lacquer involves applying an undercoat, sanding the undercoat, and then "rubbing" the lacquer, followed by applying refined roiro lacquer, and then repeatedly "rubbing" and polishing with refined raw lacquer.
  (2) In the case of lacquering, the following techniques or methods shall be used:
  (i) For the base coat, raw lacquer or a mixture of raw lacquer and rice paste is applied directly to the wood, followed by "cloth covering" or "paper covering," and then a mixture of raw lacquer and polishing powder is repeatedly applied.
  (b) For lacquering, a base coat is applied using refined colored lacquer, followed by sanding and "rubbing" of the base coat, and then a refined transparent lacquer is applied.
  (3) In the case of wood lacquering, the following techniques or methods shall be used:
  (i) For the base coat, apply a mixture of persimmon tannin and polishing powder, and a mixture of persimmon tannin and red iron oxide, then apply a tannin undercoat and polish the tannin undercoat.
  (b) The lacquering process involves repeatedly applying and sanding the undercoat, then "rubbing" the lacquer, and finally applying refined transparent lacquer.
  (4) In the case of genuine lacquering, the following techniques or methods shall be used:
  (i) For the base coat, raw lacquer or a mixture of raw lacquer and rice paste is applied directly to the wood, followed by "cloth covering" or "paper covering," and then a mixture of raw lacquer and polishing powder is repeatedly applied.
  The lacquering process involves applying an undercoat, sanding the undercoat, and then applying a "rubbed lacquer," followed by the application of "true lacquer" or refined black lacquer.
  (5) In the case of persimmon lacquerware, the following techniques or methods shall be used:
  (i) For the base coat, apply a mixture of persimmon tannin and polishing powder, and a mixture of persimmon tannin and red iron oxide, then apply a tannin undercoat and polish the tannin undercoat.
  (b) The lacquering process involves applying refined lacquer.
  (6) In the case of cloth-textured lacquering, the following techniques or methods shall be used:
  (i) For the base coat, apply raw lacquer or a mixture of raw lacquer and rice paste directly to the wood, then apply a cloth covering using hemp cloth, etc., followed by a rust undercoat and a rust top coat, and finally polish the surface to remove the rust while leaving the cloth texture visible.
  (b) The lacquering process involves applying an undercoat, sanding the undercoat, and then applying refined lacquer after the "rubbing lacquer" has been completed.
  (7) In the case of cloth lacquering, the following techniques or methods shall be used:
  (i) For the base coat, raw lacquer or a mixture of raw lacquer and rice paste is applied directly to the wood, followed by "cloth covering" using hemp cloth, and then "cut rust application" and "rust cloth polishing."
  (b) The process of applying lacquer involves repeatedly rubbing refined lacquer with a cloth, and then applying the refined lacquer.
  (8) In the case of Ikkan-nuri, the following techniques or methods shall be used:
  (i) For the base coat, a mixture of raw lacquer and rice paste is used, or rice paste is used to apply paper, followed by repeated application of lacquer or paste, and then sanding.
  (b) Lacquering involves first applying refined raw lacquer by "rubbing" it in, and then applying refined lacquer.

   

  2. The woodworking 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, it shall be formed by "cutting, bending, sawing, and shaping", or by "miter cutting" and "edge notching".
  (3) In the case of bentwood products, the material is boiled and then shaped by "machi-tsuke".
  (4) In the case of dry lacquer, a mixture of raw lacquer and polishing powder, etc., is applied to the original or core to form the shape. In this case, "cloth covering" or "paper covering" is performed.

   

  3. When decoration is applied, it shall be done using maki-e, raden, aogai, or foil painting. In this case, raden or aogai shall be done with a "roiro finish."

   

  raw materials

  １ 漆は、天然漆とすること。

  2. The woodwork (excluding dry lacquer) shall be made of cypress, katsura, zelkova, cedar, or moso bamboo, or other materials of equivalent quality.

• Work scene

  Work scene

  KYO Shikki (Lacquerware) is made by creating a base for the vessel, mainly from wood, then applying multiple layers of lacquer, and finally decorating it with techniques such as maki-e (gold lacquer) and raden (mother-of-pearl inlay). Broadly speaking, there are three processes: wood preparation, lacquering, and decoration.

  Step 1: Making the wooden base

  The wood used for the base is cut from the mountains and dried for 4 to 5 years or more to eliminate warping. It is then processed into a shape that suits each piece of tableware and furnishing. The materials used include cypress, cedar, zelkova, horse chestnut, and paulownia.
  We create wooden bases using techniques such as "turned woodworking" for making bowls and dishes, "flat woodworking" for making boxes and other items, and "hot water bending" for creating curved shapes.

  

  Step 2: Lacquer base coat

  To strengthen the base material, prevent shrinkage, and achieve a beautiful finish, processes such as kokuso (cutting the wood fibers), kijikatame (hardening the wood), nunokise (covering with cloth), jitsuke (applying the base material), kukurisabi (rusting with binding), and sabitsuke (rusting) are performed.
  First, grooves are carved into the joints of the wood, and kokuso lacquer is used to fill them and reinforce them (kokuso). Then, raw lacquer is rubbed directly onto the surface of the wood to strengthen the base material (wood hardening).
  In the "cloth application" technique, hemp cloth is attached using a paste-like lacquer. A mixture of polishing powder and slightly coarser ground powder, kneaded with lacquer and water, is applied with a spatula and allowed to dry. (Ground application)
  Afterward, using a technique called "kukuri-sabi," a mixture of rust (a mixture of polishing powder, lacquer, and water) with a generous amount of lacquer is applied to reinforce the corners and surfaces and to enhance their beauty, and then dried. The rust is applied several times with a spatula and dried. (Rust application)

  

  Step 3: Undercoat sanding and intermediate sanding for lacquer application.

  The rusted utensils are repeatedly polished with a whetstone (wet sanding) to make them flat and smooth. The work of smoothing the corners and edges determines the quality of the utensils. After the raw lacquer has been rubbed in (final rust hardening), the utensils are then given an undercoat and an intermediate coat using lacquer of the same color. Then comes the intermediate sanding. In the intermediate sanding, after the utensils have dried completely, they are wet sanded using Suruga charcoal or similar material to make them smooth.

  Step 4: Top coat

  Once the base coat is finished, the next step is to apply the "top coat" using a brush, which involves straining lacquer through several layers of Yoshino paper.
  There are eight main lacquer painting techniques used in Kyoto lacquerware, including "shin-nuri" (black lacquer), "iro-urushi-nuri" (colored lacquer with pigments mixed in and kneaded well), "ro-iro-nuri" (black lacquer), and "ikkan-nuri" (single-KYO Shikki (Lacquerware) lacquer).

  

  Step 5: Knot lifting

  Once the top coat is finished and the brush strokes have settled somewhat, the "dust" adhering to the lacquer surface is picked up one by one with the tip of a bird's feather shaft.

  Step 6: Wax finish

  For some objects, a "roiro finish" is used to give the lacquered surface a mirror-like finish. In this process, after applying a top coat and allowing it to dry completely, the surface is polished with charcoal and then buffed with oil powder. High-quality lacquer is rubbed with cotton, and this process is repeated. Finally, the surface is polished by hand using rapeseed oil and horn powder.

  Step 7: Decoration

  ● Makie (lacquerware with gold or silver powder)
  The maki-e technique was perfected in Kyoto during the Heian period. Patterns are drawn with lacquer, and gold and silver powder is sprinkled on top, creating a three-dimensional effect by varying the roughness, raising and lowering the lines, blurring the colors, and so on.

  Hiramaki-e (flat lacquerware)
  (Hiramakie)
  The design is drawn with lacquer, and then the piece is finished by hardening it with lacquer.
  High-relief lacquerware
  (Takama Kie)
  The design is first built up high, and then finished using the flat maki-e technique.
  Polished lacquerware
  (Togidashi Makie)
  The design is drawn with lacquer, gold powder is sprinkled on top, and then it is allowed to dry. Lacquer is then applied over the gold powdered maki-e (lacquerware decorated with gold or silver powder), and the piece is polished and finished.

  

  ● Mother-of-pearl inlay and blue shell inlay
  This technique involves scattering pieces of shells, such as abalone and turban shells, to create patterns. The mysterious shimmer of the shells themselves is what makes it so appealing.
  In mother-of-pearl inlay, thick shells are inlaid onto a lacquered surface to create patterns. (Thick shells: 1.5-3 mm thick)
  The abalone shell is created by inlaying thin shells (thin shells: approximately 0.3 mm thick).

  

   

• Close-up

  Close-up

  KYO Shikki (Lacquerware) and maki-e (gold lacquerware) flourish in the thousand-year-old capital.

  KYO Shikki (Lacquerware) possesses a deep inner character, embodying the concepts of "wabi" and "sabi," and combines refinement and elegance. Its sophisticated and superior design, along with its techniques and craftsmanship, has made it unparalleled in the high-end market, a position it maintains to this day.

   

  The beauty of "wabi" and "sabi" nurtured in the world of the tea ceremony

  The origins of lacquerware are ancient, with lacquer already being used in the Jomon period. The origins of "makie," seen in KYO Shikki (Lacquerware) date back to the Nara period. This technique, called "makkinru," was inherited and developed during the Heian period, leading to the perfection of polished makie and flat makie. In Kyoto, which flourished for a long time as the center of politics and culture, lacquerware has also been nurtured over a thousand years of history. In particular, the tea ceremony culture that flourished in Kyoto from the Muromachi period onward has deeply influenced KYO Shikki (Lacquerware), giving it an inner sensibility of "wabi" and "sabi" within a refined aesthetic sense. This time, we focused on the application and makie techniques of lacquer art and explored the charm of KYO Shikki (Lacquerware).

  Drawn to the jet-black gleam and lacquer

  The world of KYO Shikki (Lacquerware) is known as the "Seven Craftsmen of the Lacquerware Shop." This name likely originated from the fact that each lacquerware shop employs lacquerware artisans involved in every stage of the process, fulfilling orders from wholesalers (lacquerware shops). They manage the progress of each individual order, from tableware to furniture. They consider each artisan's area of expertise when allocating personnel and assigning tasks.
  The landlord is the second generation of a lacquerware family. He works as a lacquerware craftsman himself in his workshop in Yamashina, wielding a spatula. Except for the final intermediate coat, the "top coat," he applies rust (polishing powder + water + base lacquer) using a cypress spatula. He applies it to a uniform thickness, leaving no spatula marks. It's a series of meticulous processes. "The most delicate part is the 'top coat' process. If any dust gets in here, there's no going back," he says. The lacquer used for the top coat is filtered at least three times through several layers of Yoshino paper before use. This is to remove any dust that may have gotten into the lacquer. On days when he applies the top coat, he always starts by wiping down the entire room with a rag in the morning. This is to prevent even the slightest dust from getting in. "When I start applying the top coat, I sometimes can't see customers even if they come over," he says. Tiny particles of dust and dirt that cling to a person's body and head fall randomly as the air moves. That's why, on the day of the "top coat," "once you start painting, you have to stay in your room, sitting still and unable to move until you've finished painting everything."
  With temperatures reaching 26 degrees Celsius and humidity soaring to 80-90%, June is a difficult month for lacquer artisans. The lacquer begins to dry as soon as it's applied. "We use 'baked lacquer' to adjust the drying speed. Otherwise, the lacquer hardens too quickly, leaving brush marks," he explains. Even with immunity, lacquer can cause allergic reactions in the summer. His arms turn bright red, as if they've been burned. For the landlord, "the sharp, angular shape (kukuri-sabi), the thin finish, the deep, jet-black sheen, the warm texture of the lacquer, the well-balanced maki-e (gold lacquer) within the jet black, and the tamenuri (layered lacquer) with translucent lacquer (shuai-urushi)—these are the greatest charms of KYO Shikki (Lacquerware)."

  I feel a sense of refined elegance in KYO Shikki (Lacquerware).

  Yoshio Yamashita is a maki-e artist. He was born in Wajima to parents who ran a lacquerware business. After the war, he returned to his hometown from student mobilization and began studying maki-e. He is the third son of nine siblings. From a young age, he was the best at drawing among his brothers. After painting maki-e for WAJIMA Nuri (Lacquerware) for five years, he moved to Kanazawa and continued to paint Kaga maki-e for ten years. After that, he worked in lacquer art in Kyoto for 40 years. Even though they are all called "maki-e," the taste of lacquerware from Wajima, Kaga, and Kyoto is completely different. This is because the cultural background and the aesthetic sense required for maki-e are completely different.
  Each time she moved to a different region to paint maki-e (lacquerware with gold or silver inlay), she studied painting. "I would go to department stores and look around at the patterns on kimonos and the designs that were popular in that region." When she found a design she liked, she would buy small items that she could afford, such as small tea caddies or small trays, and paint them over and over again to master the design.
  "I didn't really study properly after graduating from school." That feeling, however, fueled Yamashita's insatiable desire to learn. Every sense he took—seeing and hearing—was driven by a single-minded desire to learn, which led to ideas for maki-e (lacquerware with gold or silver inlay). Looking at a picture on a calendar he received from a local liquor store, he thought, "If I added a mountain to the background, it would make a nice design." He decided to paint a lush Kitayama cedar tree on a robuchi (a type of tea ceremony stand) with a distant mountain in the background. To give the cedar leaves thickness, he repeatedly sprinkled gold powder, which had been brushed off during his daily work and accumulated little by little, onto the lacquer. He was told that the "Kitayama cedar" design was too unique and "wouldn't sell." But that robuchi won the Governor's Award. It was favored by tea masters and was sold during the exhibition. What appeals to whom? This episode illustrates Yamashita's keen eye. One evening, while eating turban shells at dinner and arranging the shells, he put down his chopsticks and thought, "This doesn't sit well." Of the approximately ten turban shells, one stood upright. That turban shell won the "Chairman's Award" at the lacquerware exhibition. The ideas are endless.
  So, what is the appeal of KYO Shikki (Lacquerware) to Mr. Yamashita? "It has a refined charm, without being flashy or gaudy. It can be summed up in one word: sophisticated." Born in Wajima, raised in Kaga, and flourished as a maki-e artist in Kyoto, he has lived half his life alongside lacquerware.

  Craftsman Profile

  ​Tadahiro Oya

  Born on February 15, 1937.
  KYO Shikki (Lacquerware) artist.
  Traditional craftsman
  Kyoto Prefecture's Outstanding Technicians in Traditional Industries
  Vice Chairman of KYO Shikki (Lacquerware) Traditional Craftsmen's Association
  Takumi-kai Officers
  Director of the Kyoto Lacquerware Crafts Cooperative Association
  Instructor at Kyoto Traditional Crafts College

  

  ​Yoshio Yamashita

  Born on August 16, 1929 (Showa 4).
  KYO Shikki (Lacquerware) maki-e artist.
  Traditional craftsman
  Kyoto Prefecture's Outstanding Technicians in Traditional Industries
  Awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 7th Class, Blue Paulownia Leaf (Autumn 1999)
  Director of the Kyoto Lacquerware Crafts Cooperative Association
  Instructor at Kyoto Traditional Crafts College

  

  Anecdotes

  Japanese-style accessories for weekend home parties

  This beautiful spherical wine cooler is made of lacquerware. The sake bottle, adorned with mother-of-pearl inlay, is also unique and exudes a modern Japanese atmosphere. Lacquerware is so well-known worldwide that it's sometimes referred to as "Japan." If you furnish your party with KYO Shikki (Lacquerware), an essential item for any occasion, you'll create a sophisticated atmosphere. Recently, sake cups in the style of a natsume (jujube caddy) and drum-shaped sake vessels that can be used upside down have also become popular.

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    This lacquered wine cooler features a stylish spherical design. Why not complete the set with matching sake cups and a sake flask?