Tamenuri is mainly used for traditional Japanese lacquerware.
Tamenuri is a technique in which a base coat is applied to the wood, which is then dyed vermillion, and a thick layer of clear Urushi lacquer is applied on top.
Tamenuri ‘Murasaki’ will gradually change its surface color to a purplish hue over time.
The artist, Koshu Nishihara has hand-painted his signature and the serial number on each barrel.


Urushi Artist – Koshu Nishihara
He was born into a family of ‘Butsudan’ Maki-e artists in Hiroshima Japan, and he has lived with, and worked in the traditional Japanese Art of Maki-e design all of his life.
During his training in the Wajima Urushi Lacquer Institute of Art in Ishikawa, he has mastered the traditional Japanese Urushi Lacquer Art from the famous master Mr. Masato Ikawa and Mr. Chokou Watabe.
Mr. Nishihara who resides in the Hiroshima region of Japan started working with Maki-e designs on Sailor’s fountain pens in 2002.
He maintains the Japanese traditional techniques and yet he does not hesitate where necessary to bring new youthful ideas into the art of Maki-e.
Many of his original and imaginative works of Art are exhibited in Traditional Urushi Lacquer Art shows in Japan and several other private exhibitions.