Kishū Lacquerware

In the second half of the Muromachi period, a group of woodworkers moved to Kuroe and began to make bowls from the hinoki cypress that was abundant in Kishū. This is said to be the origin of Kishū lacquerware. The oldest record of it is a reference to “tannin-coated wood bowls from Kuroe in Kii” appearing in the poetry reference book Kefukigusa, published in 1688 (Genroku 1). In the Wakan sansai zue illustrated encyclopedia published in 1712 (Shōtoku 2), it is introduced as one of the famous products of Kii Province (Kishū). 

At first, the main products of Kishū lacquerware were mostly bowls, but in the 1800s, production of stacking boxes and trays also began. In terms of decoration, the makie decorative technique utilizing sprinkled gold and silver powder was introduced in the Tenpo era (1830–1844). Around 1840, approximately 5,000 people lived in Kuroe and it became one of the major centers of lacquerware production under the patronage of the local daimyo.

In the Meiji period (1868–1912), the market for Kishū lacquerwares expanded overseas. By 1883 (Meiji 16), 57% of Japan’s lacquerware exports were produced in Kii. The development of new technologies also advanced and new techniques were introduced, such as the method of carving the lacquer surface with a blade and the process of inlaying gold leaf or colored pigment known as chinkin. 

Lacquerwares are made from a resin collected by tapping the trunks of lacquer trees. Only a relatively small amount of lacquer can be obtained from a single tree and it is a precious commodity. 

The unfinished wood is carved into various different sizes and shapes depending on its intended use, then dried for several years to ensure that there is no warping or deformation in the finished product. 

The lacquer used for the outer coat is first strained through a fine washi paper called yoshinogami to remove any impurities.

 

Lacquer is applied in multiple layers and then polished. Traditionally, women’s hair has been considered the best material for lacquer brushes. 

After the final coat of lacquer is completed, maki-e sprinkled gold or chinkin inlay technique is used to apply a wide variety of decorative designs depending on the function of the final product. 

The Kuroe region thrived as a lacquer-producing area and its streets still retain vestiges of the past even today.

 

The Kishū Lacquerware Festival has been held annually in November since 1989 (Heisei 1) for the purpose of promoting Kishū lacquerwares and to promote the development of the town of Kuroe and its traditional streetscape. When the weather is good, the festival can enjoy a bustling turnout of more than 60,000 people.