The Ishikawa Original Kaga-nuri Style of Lacquer Art
Yamanaka urushi lacquerware is a traditional art craft from the Yamanaka Onsen Area of Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture.
Everyday tableware which can be considered traditional Japanese art has been centered on wooden bases (bowls, etc.) for a long time.
Among these, the wood based pieces from the Yamanaka Area are famous in Japan as being one-of-a-kind.
In the Edo Period (1603-1868), urushi lacquer pieces were made in the Yamanaka Area involving urushi lacquer coating or makie gold lacquer on a wooden base giving birth to the Yamanaka-nuri technique.
Currently, Yamanaka-nuri lacquerware (recently also called Kaga-nuri) is highly creative and produced at large quantities not seen in other urushi lacquer areas in Japan while improving on the urushi lacquerware's unique firmness and elegance.
The Original Kaga-nuri technique was applied to this work by the artist Isana Kobayashi who has been involved in urushi lacquer art for around 30 years in Kaga.
The Original Kaga-nuri technique is a type of kawari-nuri which innovates on the Negoro-nuri technique which comes from Negoroji Temple in Wakayama Prefecture.
The Negoroji-nuri technique involves applying a black urushi lacquer as an undercoat and a vermilion overcoat so when the vermilion overcoat fades, the strong black urushi lacquer undercoat looks like a scratch.
This creates an expression called suremamo (meaning abrasion) making for a breath-taking masterpiece.


Exclusive Paulownia Wood Case
Paulownia wood which makes up the box is the perfect material for storing lacquerware products.
This box is made of high quality Japanese pawlownia wood with a detailed grainy texture.
The strap is a durable braid which doesn't bend easily and is said to have been often used by historical tea master Sen no Rikyu as a tea ceremony equipment.


Lacquer Artist Isana Kobayashi
Born in Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture.
Graduated from Ishikawa Prefectural Wajima Urushi Lacquer Art Research Center.
Studied under the traditional artist Shunpei Kadode and afterwards studied under makie gold lacquer artist Masao Kobayashi.
Became a representative of Kobayashi Urushi Lacquer Workshop.
Displayed works at an expo in Quebec, Canada and gave a makie gold lacquering performance.
Exhibited makie gold lacquer decorative panels in New York Requested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make a gift for President Fernández of the Dominican Republic in 2007.
Belongs to the Japan Kōgei Association.