Resilient Luster, Traditional Japanese Lacquer and Kintsugi in Kanazawa

Details

• Private experience

• Location: Hasedamachi, Yamanakaonsen, Kaga

• approximately 4.0 hours
  (2.0 hours: Kintsugi workshop, 2.0 hours: drying time)

• 5 people max.

• Offered in Japanese, with friendly Deeper Japan guide interpreting in English
  (French/German/Spanish interpretation may be available upon request)

Resilience and beauty of urushi

Born under a father of a traditional Japanese lacquer craftsman, Shigeki always loved lacquer or “urushi,” its luster and connection with nature. As soon as he graduated from high school, he studied intensively at a lacquer training school in Wajima, whose urushi productions have a great reputation in the world. After he returned to his hometown Yamanaka, known for lacquer production and hot springs, he continued working as a lacquer artist. In early 2000, he discovered the art of kintsugi, a traditional technique to mend broken pottery with Japanese lacquer; he found it as a great way to show the resilience and beauty of urushi. You will visit his quaint studio outside of Kanazawa. The father-son lacquer artists will show how urushi products are made and how a traditional kintsugi procedure is. You will get to experience the last step of kintsugi, painting the mended part with lacquer and dusting with gold powder.

What you’ll do

Learn about the history and techniques of this ancient art and kintsugi-repair broken item using gold dust and lacquer.

15 min - Introduction of “Kintsugi”
90 min - Choose the item of ceramic to dust with gold powder, and workshop the last step of Kintsugi with the master
120 min - Waiting time to drying lacquer
(Feel free to take a look at a gallery of the studio, to stroll Yamanaka-onsen area)
15 min - Pick-up the repaired ceramic

If you would like to repair your own piece of broken/chipped pottery at this studio, it is available with an additional fee, and required to deliver them to the studio at least 2 months prior to the experience date.
More information please contact us at info@deeperjapan.com.

Includes

Repaired pottery

Who can attend

Children must be 7+

Availability

Everyday
Session 1 (start at 10:00)
Session 2 (start at 11:00)
Session 3 (start at 12:00)
Session 4 (start at 13:00)
Session 5 (start at 14:00)

Access

20 min taxi ride from Kaga-Onsen station.

or 60 min from Kanazawa station
(30 min Limited Express Train (Thunderbird) ride + 20 min taxi ride from Kaga-Waseda Station)

What else you should know

• You will need to take a taxi (20 min ride) to and from the studio. The roundtrip taxi fare will be around 6000 JPY. If you would like to pay via credit card instead of cash, our interpreter guide can help you locate a taxi that accepts card.

• If you would like to repair your own piece of broken/chipped pottery, please deliver them at least 2 months prior to the experience date

• As natural lacquer is derived from a plant in the poison ivy family, it may irritate skin.

• The ceramic that you repair cannot be put in the microwave, dishwasher or the oven and should be kept at room temperature. Please do not scrub with any harsh materials.

Cancellation Policy

Please make your booking at least 5 days in advance. See cancellation policy, here.
* A detailed itinerary will be emailed to you once your booking has been confirmed.