Yamanaka Traditional Lacquerware Enhancing Wood Grain, Texture; Uses Technique of Turning Wood on Lathe, Shaping It with Blade

By Jin Kiyokawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

12:42 JST, March 12, 2025

KAGA, Ishikawa — Ishikawa Prefecture is home to three major production areas for lacquerware, a traditional handicraft. These are Wajima, Kanazawa and Yamanaka.

Yamanaka’s lacquerware is produced in the Yamanaka hot spring resort area in the city of Kaga.

The Ishikawa Prefectural Training Institute of Woodturning in the area is the only place in Japan where the technique of turning wood on a lathe and shaping it with a blade is formally taught.

Ryozo Kawagita, a living national treasure of woodcraft, heads the institute.

The 90-year-old craftsman still works every day. “I do not have any particular feeling about reaching this age. I just, as a craftsperson, carry on what previous generations have done,” Kawagita said matter-of-factly.

He then talked enthusiastically about ancient woodwork excavated from an archaeological site. “I am moved by the depth of history,” he said with a sparkle in his eyes.

Yamanaka lacquerware has a history of more than 400 years. It is characterized by the deliberate display of the natural beauty of wood. Rather than applying many layers of colored lacquer, Yamanaka ware focuses on the wood’s grain and texture.

The simple lacquer finish highlights the advanced technique called kashokubiki, in which a planer is applied to the surface of the material to create a fine pattern. The planers that artisans use are also handmade, and dozens of different types of planers are said to be used.

Kawagita chooses different wood depending on its characteristics for each type of ware he makes. He also assesses differences in quality even among the same types of wood.

“Trees that grow on slopes become stronger as they try to stay in place. You can tell where they grew by looking at the logs,” Kawagita said. He said that he is constantly struck by the power of nature.

His 62-year-old son and 33-year-old grandson also work at his workshop, where the sound of a stream can be heard. Seeing his promising successors, Kawagita said with a smile, “I am a lucky person.”

Besides Yamanaka lacquerware made by dedicated artisans, there also are products made for modern lifestyles, including more affordable lacquerware made from resin, a line developed after World War II.

The Yamanaka Lacquerware Cooperative Association runs two Yamanaka tableware brands. Colessae is a collection of a resin-made, urethane-coated products, and mononogu is a series of wooden lacquerware.

“We want people to use different kinds of products depending on where they are used in daily life,” said Shunsuke Takenaka, 66, chairman of the association.

In December last year, a facility to showcase more than 1,000 pieces of Yamanaka lacquerware was set up at JR Kagaonsen Station following the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Visitors to the facility are in for a spectacular sight.