A new type of Japanese travel that connects the ancient capital and the hometown of lacquer! A 3-day trip from Kyoto to Iwate, a report on the experience of the lacquer ware experience (3)
Drip Seikusha Lacquer is an integral part of Japanese history and culture. Did you know that lacquer is used everywhere in Japan in crafts and cultural assets? We conducted a 3-day/2-night monitoring tour for visitors to Japan in order to make the charm of lacquer more accessible and to have them experience it to the fullest!
Click here for photos of the first and second days of the tour.
In November 2024, we conducted a 3-day/2-night monitoring tour for visitors to Japan that toured the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto and the Tohoku region of Iwate. At first glance, these two regions may seem to have no connection, but in fact they are linked by "lacquer," a long-standing element of Japanese history and culture. In 2023, Iwate Prefecture produced 1,344 kg of the 1,651 kg of raw lacquer produced in Japan, which means that 80% of all domestic lacquer is produced in Iwate Prefecture. This means that 80% of domestic lacquer is produced in Iwate Prefecture.
This monitoring tour was mainly targeted at tourists visiting Japan. While touring Kyoto, where lacquer is widely used in temples and shrines, and Ninohe and Hachimantai cities in Iwate Prefecture, where lacquer is produced, we proposed a "new Japan trip" that included the Tohoku area, which is unfamiliar to visitors to Japan, to learn about the cultural value and high quality of lacquer as a material. Monitor tour to explore the charms of lacquer starts from Tokyo Station
Day 3 Konishi Bijutsu Kogeisha, Ninohe City
The first stop on the third day of the tour was Konishi Bijutsu Kogeisha, which carries out decorative repairs and restoration of national treasures, important cultural properties, and arts and crafts. Founded in the early Edo period (1603-1868), Konishi Bijutsu Kogeisha is a well-established company with a history of more than 300 years. Konishi Bijutsu Kogeisha, which uses a large amount of Joboji lacquer in the restoration of buildings, established the Ninohe Branch in 2016 to support the lacquer production area, and is known as the only company in Japan that consistently produces lacquer used in the restoration of cultural properties, from the production of seedlings to the scraping of lacquer. This time, at the Ninohe Branch Office, which was established in 2016 and produces lacquer, we were given an explanation about lacquer and a demonstration of how to scratch lacquer.
The still unknown world of lacquer
Do you notice anything when you see the kanji character for "lacquer"? Urushi is a tree, but the radical of the kanji character is "sanzui". Konishi Bijutsu Kogeisha believes that people have been seeking lacquer not as wood but as sap, or liquid, since ancient times. Lacquer is used in Buddhist statues and buildings, and Japan and lacquer have a deep relationship, as evidenced by the discovery of lacquered burial accessories at a Jomon-era site in Hokkaido. Lacquer has been used since ancient times, and Konishi Bijutsu Kogeisha has restored Nikko Toshogu Shrine and Chichibu Shrine, among others, using lacquer. The Role of Lacquer Unraveled from Chinese Characters During the discussion on lacquer, one of the participants asked how the quality of lacquer is judged. This is a frequent topic of conversation among people involved in the lacquer industry, and the answer was that the criteria for judging lacquer differ from person to person. The answer to this question is that each person has his or her own criteria for judging the quality of lacquer. The mission of the lacquer scrapers is to "first collect as much lacquer as possible so that they can offer a wide variety of lacquer" because what is required of lacquer depends not only on the person who uses it but also on its application. Restoration work at Nikko Toshogu shrine
Experience the hard work of lacquer scraping.
After explaining about lacquer, we actually had a chance to try our hand at urushikiri. The technique of urushikiri is not an easy one to acquire, and it generally takes five to six years to master the skill. While the person in charge explained the technique to the participants, they shaved the trunk with a sickle and scratched it with a lacquer plane. The participants were surprised to see how smoothly the craftsman scratched the lacquer. A participant receiving an explanation of the process of urushikiri Experiencing the actual process of urushi-kirigaki Konishi Bijutsu Kogeisha For more information
Location
4-2, Kami-Oiyamahira, Abei, Ninohe City, Iwate Prefecture
Access
Approx. 20 minutes by JR bus from Ninohe Station to the "Gobachi Post Office Mae" bus stop.
*The contents and services in this article are subject to change.
*All images are for reference only.
Day 3, Ninohe City, Rikuseisha
The next stop was the "Drip Seikusha" near Tendaiji Temple, which is said to be the place that popularized Joboji lacquerware. The shop has been making lacquerware since 1995 in Joboji, Ninohe City, where Joboji lacquer is produced, and visitors can observe the process of lacquering and purchase lacquerware. Here, we observed the processing of the "base of the wood" before the lacquer is applied.
The lacquer industry used to be a regionally divided industry.
The wood that has been formed into the shape of a bowl or other object before it is coated with lacquer is called "kiji. At Tekko-sha, all the work from the log to the lacquering process is done. In the Abigawa River basin, where lacquer production is flourishing, there used to be a division of labor from upstream to downstream: those who processed the wood, those who refined the lacquer, and those who applied the lacquer. Entering the woodworking room, where the wood is processed, one finds many logs and blocks of wood. Here, blocks are cut from the logs to be used as the base for bowls, which are then formed into bowls, but the wood must be allowed to dry naturally for one year before further processing. Wood originally contains moisture, but as it dries, the wood deforms and shrinks, so a very long time is needed to stabilize the wood's condition. The log that forms the base of the bowl After drying is complete, the bowl-shaped wood is processed by a woodworker into the wood before it is coated with lacquer. The wood is worked into the base of the wood in a concentrated manner. This process is very difficult and sometimes the wood is shaved too much than the standard thickness. Once the wood has been shaved, it cannot be restored, so in such cases, the thickness is adjusted in the process of applying lacquer. Today, electric machines are used to process the wood, but in the past, all processing was done solely by human power, indicating that this was a very difficult process. A woodworker working on the base of the wood
No two pieces of lacquerware are the same
After the wood has been processed with extremely high skill, it is coated with lacquer and becomes a lacquer ware, which is delivered to people. Since each piece of lacquerware is one-of-a-kind, the people who make lacquerware hope that visitors will feel comfortable with the piece in their hands when choosing it and use it for a long time. Participants holding and looking at the lacquer bowlsTekkousei For more information 23-6 Miyamanakamaeda, Joboji-cho, Ninohe City, Iwate Prefecture
Location
23-6 Miyamanakamaeda, Joboji-cho, Ninohe City, Iwate Prefecture
Access
From Ninohe Station, take JR bus to "Tendaiji" bus stop, then walk about 10 minutes.
*The contents and services in this article are subject to change.
*All images are for reference only.
Day 3 Hachimantai City, Hitomi Sato
Lunch was served at an old traditional house in Hachimantai City. Ms. Hitomi Sato, a resident of Hachimantai City, is active in passing on local cuisine, and this time we were served Iwate Prefecture's local cuisine in lacquerware. In Iwate Prefecture, where the weather is severely cold, the rice harvest is sometimes poor, and wheat and buckwheat noodles have been cultivated for a long time to stabilize the diet even in such times. One of the local dishes we enjoyed this time was hittsumi soup made of wheat flour, and the abundance of vegetables and mushrooms in the hittsumi soup was soaking into our cold bodies. Why does hittsumi soup, which is so warm, not feel hot even when served in lacquerware? The answer lies in the wood used for the lacquerware. Wood has excellent heat retention properties, which makes it possible to hold the lacquerware in one's hand even if it is filled with something hot. In addition to hitotsumi-jiru, participants enjoyed a variety of local dishes that have been handed down for many years in Iwate Prefecture, including hecchokodango, which is shaped like a navel. Delicious-looking local dishes lined up in a row Participants also had the opportunity to try their hand at making "Tanpo with Walnut Miso. The aroma of roasted rice wrapped around a skewer and coated with walnut miso, which spread throughout the room and whetted the appetite. The sweet and salty walnut miso tampo was a hit with the participants, who wanted to try it again and again. Making "walnut miso tampo
Day 3, Hachimantai City, Abi Lacquer Ware Studio
The last stop on the tour was the "Abei Nuri Lacquer Ware Studio" in Hachimantai City, where the production of Abei lacquerware is carried out. At the workshop, participants were given an explanation of the lacquering process and had a chance to try their hand at painting chopsticks.
Lacquerware that needs to be painted over and over again
Do you know that lacquerware is made by applying several coats of lacquer? At the Abe Lacquer Ware Studio, lacquer is applied a total of six times during the production of a single piece of lacquerware. The first coat of lacquer is applied to the inside of the wood, and the next coat is applied to the outside. This process is repeated five times. One side is coated for one day before the other side is coated, so it takes two days to finish coating both sides. The painted surface is polished to smooth the surface, and then another layer of lacquer is applied. After a total of five coats of lacquer, the final coat is applied, taking great care to prevent dust from getting into the lacquer. The craftsman adjusts the thickness of the lacquer by relying on his sense of touch, and it is clear that this is a very delicate process. The participants were surprised to learn that the brushes used in the lacquering process are made of long, black human hair. Incidentally, there are only two craftsmen in Japan who can still make these brushes today. Participants receiving an explanation of the lacquer painting process. After receiving an explanation about the lacquering process, participants actually tried their hand at painting chopsticks. In addition to using a brush to draw lines and paint detailed areas, some participants tried using a sponge to create gradations, creating chopsticks full of originality. Everyone seemed to be looking forward to the early arrival of their finished chopsticks, which would be delivered to them at a later date. Painting chopsticks Painted chopsticksAbei Lacquer Ware Studio For more information
Location
230-1, Hamantaira, Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture
Access
15 minutes on foot from Arayashinmachi Station on the JR Hanawa Line
*The contents and services in this article are subject to change.
*All images are for reference only.
Would you like to embark on a journey to discover the fascination of lacquer?
This monitoring tour was an opportunity to experience a new tourist route in Japan, linking Iwate, a lacquer production area, and Kyoto, a lacquer consumption area. The tour was a great opportunity to experience a new tourist route linking Iwate, a lacquer producing region, and Kyoto, a lacquer consuming region, and to learn about the historical and cultural value of lacquer as a material. During the three days I spent in Japan, I wanted to encourage as many foreign visitors to Japan as possible to take this route and experience the charm of lacquer and learn about its wonderful qualities. If you have even the slightest interest in lacquer, we encourage you to use this tour as a guide as you tour the various regions!
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