What is Wajima lacquerware?
Wajima lacquerware is produced in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture. It is known nationwide for its durability, beauty, and robust elegance. Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, where it is produced, is a small town with a population of less than 30,000 at the tip of the Noto Peninsula, but it has become known nationwide for Wajima lacquerware. In addition to factors such as its long history as a key shipping point on the Sea of Japan and its abundance of lacquerware materials such as zelkova and lacquer, the continued development of Wajima lacquerware to this day has been supported by the refinement of the craft by numerous merchants, craftsmen, and customers.
How Wajima lacquerware is made
Wajima lacquerware is made up of over 100 manual processes. Due to the large number of steps involved and the pursuit of work efficiency as it is a practical item, division of labor has developed, and what was once the six Wajima craftsmen has now been divided into 11 different crafts.
- The process of completing Wajima lacquerware is as follows:
- 1. "Nurishi-ya" plans and designs the product
- 2. The "lacquerer" orders the "woodworker" to create the wooden base
- 3. The finished wood base is then painted by craftsmen who apply the undercoat, polishing, and topcoat.
- 4. If decoration is required, artisans of "Maki-e," "Chinkin," and "Roiro" will carry out the work.
- 5. The product is returned to the lacquer maker, then passed through wholesalers and peddlers before being delivered to the customer.
Before a product is completed, it passes through many workshops, and with the work of many craftsmen, the entire town of Wajima functions as if it were one workshop.
Beautiful decoration
The appeal of Wajima lacquerware is not limited to its durability, but also its beautiful decoration. Techniques such as "Roiro," "Maki-e," and "Chinkin" are used to decorate Wajima lacquerware.
Roiro
The top coat is further polished and the lacquer is rubbed in, resulting in a transparent, mirror-like luster.
Makie (lacquerware)
A pattern is drawn with lacquer on top of the top coat, then gold powder or other materials are sprinkled on top, and more lacquer is applied and polished to harden.
Chinkin (Chinkin)
A pattern is thinly carved into the top coat with a chisel, and then lacquer is applied. Gold leaf is then applied and any excess gold is wiped off to reveal the pattern.
The history of Wajima lacquerware
Lacquerware dating back to the Jomon period has been excavated from the Mibiki ruins in Tatsuruhama-cho, Wajima. This shows that lacquerware has been made in this area since prehistoric times. The oldest Wajima lacquerware is said to be the vermilion-lacquered door of the main hall of Juzo Gongen in Kawai-cho, Wajima City. The current technique is thought to have been established around 1660, when Wajima clay powder was issued. Taking advantage of the region's favorable maritime trade, lacquerware spread throughout the country.
Around 1720, the carpenter Gorobei established the technique of Chinkin, one of Wajima's distinctive features. Beautiful decorations were added to Wajima lacquerware, which had previously been mostly plain. Maki-e also saw development after Yasukichi moved to Wajima from Aizu around 1820, and more luxurious decorations were added.
What is a Wajima lacquered single hairpin?
This hairpin features a celestial motif, made using the traditional Wajima lacquerware technique from Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, and takes advantage of the deep, beautiful texture of the lacquer. Each lacquer ball is carefully painted with multiple layers of lacquer and then finished with maki-e (golden lacquer). Each ball features a design of the Earth, Earth at night, the Sun, and the Moon, all of which have been finished off into a simple hairpin. The original shaft is reminiscent of a globe, allowing you to turn the entire lacquer ball and admire it, creating a hairpin that combines traditional techniques with modern sensibilities.
Collaborating craftsmen
This time, the person who cooperated with Kanzashi-ya Wargo on the production of their Wajima lacquered hairpins was Mr. Masui, a craftsman of roiro.
"The top coat surface is polished with Suruga charcoal, and then raw lacquer is applied over it to create a glossy finish. The surface is polished with the palms of the hands or fingertips to create a glossy finish without scratching the surface. In addition to Roiro, we also offer other types of lacquering (Nashiji lacquering, Aogai lacquering, Dry lacquering, Stone grain lacquering, etc.)."
"While making use of the traditional techniques of Wajima lacquerware, I am challenging myself to create new lacquering techniques and new objects. I want to create works that utilize the natural blessing of lacquer in a modern context."
