Tsugaru lacquer ware is made from Aomori cypress trees. The material is first lacquered, then sanded, and polished, a process that requires 50 long steps for the solid and beautiful product to be completed. The four types of lacquer ware, called “kara-nuri”, “nanako-nuri,” “monsya-nuri,” and “nishiki-nuri,” have been produced continuously since their creation, and the artists of today are arranging and creating new designs and patterns. Tsugaru lacquer ware was designated as a Traditional Craft by Japanese Government in 1975.