column

At that time, I was living in the 16th arrondissement of Paris and had just had a child. One day, I happened to see a program on French television about maki-e, a traditional Japanese art. The delicate patterns created on urushi lacquer....

French vintage tableware is often decorated with a beautiful gold rim. Over time, the gilding may gradually wear away. It can also be damaged when a plate is accidentally placed in a microwave. Has that ever happened to you? That is exac...

I visited the exhibition “Chambers of Wonder: We Shall Vanish — Yasumasa Morimura, Kenji Yanobe, Miwa Yanagi” at Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka. I was especially drawn to the contemporary artworks using urushi lacquer. Seeing lacquer n...

Using fine-grit sandpaper, horsetail (tokusa), or charcoal ink, gently polish the sabi-urushi surface while applying water. Avoid rubbing too hard, as excessive force may distort the shape. Carefully check the surface condition and uneve...

Apply the rust mixture firmly, pressing it in with a spatula.Some people leave it thick and shape it later by sanding, but if you roughly shape it at this stage, the sanding process becomes much easier. https://youtube.com/shorts/pU9N2Eh...

STEPPrepare tonoko powder. When taking out the powder, gently press it down before scooping. STEPPlace the tonoko powder on a work board and grind it finely with a spatula. Turn the powder into a finer texture. You can also sift it befor...

First, carefully wipe away any dust or dirt from the surface of the vessel.（for reference：https://makie-kintsugi.com/en/17042026en/）Then, slightly dilute the raw urushi and use a fine brush, holding it upright as you work. Allow the r...

If the piece is already clean and simply broken, there is no need to wash it entirely.Instead, clean only the damaged area using benzine or ethanol to remove any grease or residue. If oil, dust, or moisture remains on the surface, L'urus...

This section introduces how to adjust E-Urushi, an essential material for Kintsugi and Maki-e. When urushi becomes too thick and difficult to work with, a very small amount of turpentine oil can be added to achieve a smoother, more worka...

L’urushi is a natural plant-based lacquer native to Asia, made by refining the sap of the lacquer tree.In Japan, it has been used since the Jōmon period, making it a material deeply rooted in history. The bark of lacquer trees, which are...