Resilient Luster, Traditional Japanese Lacquer and Kintsugi in Kanazawa

Details

• Private experience

• Location: Hasedamachi, Yamanakaonsen, Kaga

• 3 hours

• 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 lacquer

Born into a family with a heritage of traditional Japanese lacquer crafting, a deep appreciation for urushi lacquer has been instilled in Shigeki since birth. Urushi lacquer has been utilized in Japan for thousands of years, as early as the Jomon Period, and developed into a rich artistic craft with countless different usages. Shigeki chose to continue his family's dedication to urushi lacquer, a natural product with a radiant luster and remarkable durability, by studying intensively at a lacquer training school in Wajima, whose urushi products are held in high regard all around the world. After he returned to his hometown Yamanaka, a region with a flourishing hot spring culture and a hotspot for urushi production, he continued working as a lacquer artist. Yet in the early 2000s, he discovered a love for the art of kintsugi, a traditional technique of mending broken pottery using Japanese lacquer, finding it the perfect expression of urushi's resilience and beauty.

Visit Shigeki's quaint studio in Yamanaka, conveniently accessible from central Kanazawa. The father-son lacquer artists will show you how urushi products are made, as well as the traditional kintsugi crafting process using urushi. Under the guidance of the masters, you'll get to experience the last step of creating a kintsugi product, painting the mended part with lacquer and dusting it with gold powder.

What you’ll do

Learn about the history and techniques of this ancient art and kintsugi-repair a broken item using gold dust and lacquer under the guidance of the master to take home after completing.

15 min - Introduction to kintsugi
90 min - Select the ceramic to repair, dusting it with gold powder, and work in collaboration with the master to complete the final crucial steps
60 min - While your kintsugi pottery dries, observe and assist the master in completing other kintsugi processes
15 min - Q and A session

It is possible to repair your own piece of broken/chipped pottery at this studio. An additional fee is required, and the item must be delivered to the studio at least 2 months prior to the experience date.

For more information please contact 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-Onsen 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 have it delivered 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.