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Urushi Studies

The Journal

Urushi Studies

漆

The craft of Japanese lacquer — the trees, the technique, and the workshops keeping urushi alive.

Hida Shunkei: The Transparent Lacquer That Shows the Wood Hida Shunkei lacquerware from Takayama: visible wood grain, warm transparent urushi, yellow and red grounds, and practical care.
Negoro-nuri: Japan's Red-and-Black Lacquer Tradition Negoro lacquer’s red-over-black surface, its connection with Negoro-ji, the patina of historical objects, and care for modern lacquerware.
Chinkin: The Sunken-Gold Carving of Wajima Lacquerware Chinkin decorates lacquer with engraved lines and points filled with gold leaf or powder. Explore Wajima’s technique, provenance, and care.
Tsugaru-nuri: Aomori's Layered, Polished Urushi Lacquerware Tsugaru-nuri from Aomori: layered and polished urushi, the kara, nanako, monsha, and nishiki styles, and care for lacquerware in everyday...
Yamanaka Lacquerware: Japan's Wood-Turned Urushi Tradition Explore Yamanaka lacquerware: woodturning, grain-revealing urushi, tea utensils, and the distinction between traditional wooden work and modern resin products.
Maki-e: The Japanese Art of Sprinkled-Gold Lacquer Maki-e lacquer decoration: Nara-period roots, flat, polished and raised techniques, provenance, and care for sprinkled-gold work.
Kishu Lacquerware: Wakayama’s Everyday Craft Tradition Kishu lacquerware from Wakayama: Kuroe, Negoro finishes, traditional wood and urushi, modern resin products, and care based on each piece’s...
Wajima-nuri: The Foundations of an Urushi Lacquerware Tradition How Wajima-nuri is built, from cloth reinforcement and ji-no-ko foundations to plain lacquer, chinkin and maki-e, with advice on choosing...

Craft & Kilns

The places, materials and people behind Japanese craft.

Yellow wild-grape Kutani plate and white mejiro rice bowl on a sunlit wooden dining table.

Craft & Kilns

The Story of Kutani Ware

Early Kutani, Yoshidaya and export porcelain: the history behind the styles.

Illustrative home-table visualization of ZenKiln’s red-and-blue Edo Kiriko kagome pair; the actual product photo appears in the guide below.

Craft & Kilns

Edo Kiriko: Tokyo Cut Glass

Illustrative arrangement of pale Hagi-style bowls, cups, and a flask on a wooden table.

Craft & Kilns

Hagi Ware and the Seven Changes

Illustrative arrangement of blue-and-white Hasami-style porcelain for an everyday table.

Craft & Kilns

Hasami Porcelain for Everyday Tables

Browse all studies

Care & Guides

Practical reading for the pieces you use every day.

View all care guides

Series

Stories on tea bowls, Japanese lacquer and ceramic color.

Teabowl Studies

Teabowl Studies

Reading the chawan — kilns, glazes, and how a bowl is held

Urushi Studies

Urushi Studies

The craft of Japanese lacquer, layer by layer

Color of Utsuwa

Color of Utsuwa

How Japanese ceramics found their palette

All Stories

The latest stories, with more to explore by topic.

Illustrative Japanese incense tools arranged on a low table: a ceramic kōro, a stick holder with an unlit incense stick, an ash dish, and small utensils.

Japanese Incense Tools: Kōro, Stick Holders and the Kōdō Set

Illustrative incense clock path of powdered incense across ash, with a small ember at one end

How Did an Incense Clock Work? The Jōkōban of Jissōji

Hands setting a plain ceramic bowl beside a reusable plastic food container on a home dining table.

Is Ceramic Tableware Safer Than Plastic? What the Evidence Says

A handmade ceramic bowl of whisked matcha with a bamboo whisk on a wooden table in morning light.

Matcha Benefits: What a Daily Bowl Can Offer

Illustrative grey matcha bowl with white rabbit and gold-moon decoration beside a bamboo whisk on a wooden table.

How to Choose a Matcha Bowl for Everyday Use

Three Kutani porcelain daruma with floral and pine decoration on a wooden shelf.

Gifts & Occasions

Daruma and the Eye-Painting Tradition

Yellow wild-grape Kutani plate and white mejiro rice bowl on a sunlit wooden dining table.

The Story of Kutani Ware

A steaming Ginpo Hana-Mishima donabe with matching tonsui bowls and renge spoons on a Japanese dining table

Setting a Japanese hot pot table

Chōhō Kutani Red Fuji and Crane lucky cat on a wooden entryway console, showing its black body and red Fuji motif.

Red Maneki Neko: Protection and Health