What is Wakasa lacquerware?
Wakasa lacquerware is a type of lacquerware that began to be produced in the Obama Domain (present-day Obama City, Fukui Prefecture), whose territory was around Wakasa Bay. It was sometimes called "jewel lacquerware" because of the noble shine of the patterns that represent the seabed.
Wakasa lacquerware has a history of about 400 years and is popular both in Japan and overseas. It is said that it was also used by Philipp Franz von Siebold, the doctor at the Dutch trading post in Dejima, Nagasaki Prefecture, in the past.
Wakasa lacquerware is made by first applying multiple layers of lacquer to the wood base and then adding a pattern on top of that.
Typical examples include the "eggshell pattern" with scattered eggshells, the "seashell pattern" using abalone shells, and the "raised pattern" with grooves made from pine needles and rapeseed. After applying over a dozen layers of colorful lacquer on top of these patterns, the lacquer is then carefully polished using stones and charcoal. This allows the eggshell and other patterns buried underneath the lacquer to emerge.
This is a technique called "Togidashi" that is characteristic of Wakasa lacquerware. No two patterns are the same. Wakasa lacquerware, which is made with such time and effort, is actually very durable. While highly valued as a work of art, this lacquerware is also useful as a durable everyday item. Thanks to Togidashi, it is less susceptible to changes caused by water or heat, allowing it to be used for a long time.
Among Wakasa lacquerware products, lacquered chopsticks boast a national market share of over 80%.
In the 2007 NHK morning drama series "Chiritotechin," the father and grandfather of the heroine, played by Shihori Kanjiya, were both craftsmen of Wakasa lacquer chopsticks, bringing Wakasa lacquer chopsticks back into the spotlight.
There are over 60 steps in the production of Wakasa lacquer chopsticks, but almost all of them are done by just one craftsman. There is no division of labor, and each chopstick is made by a single craftsman, taking anywhere from several months to a year. The craftsman's individuality is so evident that it is said that you can tell who the craftsman is by looking at the pattern on the chopsticks.
The tips of the chopsticks, which are sharpened to a thin line by artisans, are called "crane's beaks" and are chosen as gifts to celebrate longevity.
The history of Wakasa lacquerware
At the beginning of the Edo period, Kumiya Rokurozaemon, a wealthy merchant living in what is now Obama City, Fukui Prefecture, acquired a lacquered tray made using a technique called sonsei from China.
It was presented to Sakai Tadakatsu, the lord of Obama at the time, who had Matsuura Sanjuro, a lacquerware craftsman from the Obama domain, create a lacquerware piece in its likeness.
After several improvements, a beautiful design of the ocean floor was incorporated into the lacquerware known as Kikujin-nuri, which is said to be the origin of Wakasa lacquerware.
Later, Nishiwaki Mon'emon, a disciple of Matsuura, came up with the idea of Isokusa-nuri, a type of lacquerware that depicts the seashore with rippling waves. In the mid-Edo period, a technique similar to the current Wakasa-nuri, which uses eggshells and gold leaf, was perfected. Sakai Tadakatsu, the lord of Obama Domain, named it "Wakasa-nuri" and actively protected and encouraged it as a side job for foot soldiers. Tadakatsu valued Wakasa-nuri so much that he took measures to prevent the technology from leaking to other domains.
It was during this time that many master craftsmen emerged, and beautiful designs such as the Kikusui Shioboshi design were created.
The mid- to late Edo period was the golden age of Wakasa lacquerware. It became the core industry of the Obama domain, and over 200 techniques, such as "raden" (maki-e) and "maki-e" (maki-e), which continue to this day, were established. At this time, Wakasa lacquerware was used as furnishings for wealthy people such as some nobles and samurai. When Princess Kazunomiya married the 14th shogun, Tokugawa Iemochi, in 1862, the chest of drawers chosen was also made of Wakasa lacquerware. There were no everyday items such as bowls used by common people.
In 1878, Wakasa lacquerware was exhibited at the Paris World's Fair, and five years later it was exported overseas for the first time, furthering the overseas expansion of Wakasa lacquerware.
Shortly after the war, chemical paints with quick-drying properties were developed, making mass production of lacquered chopsticks possible. From this time on, Wakasa lacquered chopsticks began to expand their share of the domestically produced lacquered chopsticks.
In 1978, it was designated as a National Traditional Craft, the second lacquerware from Fukui Prefecture to be designated as such, following Echizen lacquerware. In 2008, Obama City made headlines when it presented a pair of Wakasa lacquer chopsticks to Barack Obama, then a US presidential candidate, because they shared the same name.
It also contributes to international exchange, such as being presented as a commemorative gift to the leaders of participating countries at the Ise-Shima Summit in 2016.
summary
We introduced a part of the history of Wakasa lacquerware, which is made in Obama City, Fukui Prefecture.
Its greatest feature, the polishing technique, produces lacquerware that is both gorgeous and durable, and it remains popular both in Japan and overseas to this day.
Today's Wakasa lacquer artisans are continually releasing new products that suit our lifestyles.
It's a traditional craft that we can look forward to seeing develop further in the future. Why not start by getting some lacquered chopsticks?
Introducing Wakasa lacquer chopsticks by Chopsticks and Mansaku
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| Wakasa-nuri - Auspicious Crest Rabbit Red 22.5cm- | Wakasa Lacquerware - Porcelain-style Chopsticks | [Mansaku Selection] Wakasa Lacquerware Pair of Chopsticks - Marbled |
