Urushi Lacquerware by Yamaichi Rokuro

Lacquerware is one of the oldest crafts in Japan, dating back to the Jomon period around 7000 BC. The basic process of refining urushi, the sap of the Japanese lacquer tree, into a paintable glaze for preserving natural materials has remained almost unchanged over the last 9000 years, though it has been refined and complicated, with artists adding natural red and black coloring, inlay, gold leaf, and more to create more elaborate designs. Today, the advent of polyurethane as well as plastics has eliminated the practical need for lacquer as a protective coating for wood, relegating most lacquerware to the purely ornamental. But there are still craftsmen in the mountains of Japan producing beautifully handturned and naturally urushi-lacquered plates, bowls, and more, designed to be used, cared for, and passed down to future generations. Yamaichi Rokuro, a family-run woodshop tucked away along a winding road in the mountains above Nagiso, is one of the finest we've encountered.

Run by Kazuo Ogura, a fifth-generation woodturner, Yamaichi Rokuro produces fine handturned and natural urushi-lacquered woodwork made from local hardwoods in Nagano Prefecture, from tableware to furniture and everything in between. With an eye for stunning wood grains, Yamaichi Rokuro brings a refreshingly modern approach to an ancient art.