Wajima-nuri ‘’Wajima Kirimoto’’ [2]
The first process of Wajima-nuri production, as well as that of other lacquer-ware, is to create a wooden base.
‘Wooden base’ is like the bread and butter of lacquer-ware. The quality of the lacquer coating depends on that of its wooden base. Frankly speaking, it is very hard even for craftsman to understand the nuts and bolts of the process. However I will endeavor to introduce a portion of it in the following outline.
As I explained in the previous column, Wajima lacquer-ware needs to undergo more than 124 processes to complete. These processes can be classified into roughly 8 to 10 main categories. The first process is to produce the ‘wooden base’.
There are 4 major types of ‘wooden base’ as below.
(1) Wan-kiji:
Used for the rounded goods like bowls or teacup holders
(2) Sashimono:
Utilized for box-shaped goods like food boxes.
(3) Magemono:
Used for the cylindrical goods like tea caddies.
(4) Hoh-kiji:
Made of Hoh, a kind of magnolia, used for the intricately-designed goods like wooden vases or the legs of tables and stools.
‘Hoh’ is the tree from which we get ‘Hoh leaves’ which is well known as the material of ‘Hoh leaf miso’ the local cuisine in Takayama, which often appears in the animated TV show, ‘Manga Nippon Mukashi Banashi’.
The parent organization of Wajima Kirimoto is Kirimoto Carpentry Shop, which is a ‘Hoh-Kiji’ producer, that specializes in wooden molds made of magnolia. So they have great skill and know-how in creating the intricately-designed lacquered furniture and stationery.
The first step to produce the ‘wooden base’ is to select the lumber.
Only the lumber which has passed the strict screening process will be dried naturally for 3 years so that it will not swell up nor shrink. After the drying, they should be aged in storage for 5 or 6 years. Then these aged lumbers will be hewn to rough wooden molds. Furthermore these molds have to be smoked for a month, and after smoking, aged another year. Finally they are trimmed to be the ‘wooden base’ for lacquer-ware.
How much time and effort it takes for just the first stage !
When I went to Wajima city, I visited Mr. Kancho’s factory in Wajima Kirimoto who produces the wooden bases for their ‘Sugi-wan’ series.
Before entering the factory, we noticed a the spicy scented smoke coming from the wooden molds.
Mr.Kancho (left) Mr.Kirimoto (right)
Now I can enjoy the spicy flavour in my own room.
Next time I would like to introduce the lacquer-coated inn.
‘Wooden base’ is like the bread and butter of lacquer-ware. The quality of the lacquer coating depends on that of its wooden base. Frankly speaking, it is very hard even for craftsman to understand the nuts and bolts of the process. However I will endeavor to introduce a portion of it in the following outline.
As I explained in the previous column, Wajima lacquer-ware needs to undergo more than 124 processes to complete. These processes can be classified into roughly 8 to 10 main categories. The first process is to produce the ‘wooden base’.
There are 4 major types of ‘wooden base’ as below.
(1) Wan-kiji:
Used for the rounded goods like bowls or teacup holders
(2) Sashimono:
Utilized for box-shaped goods like food boxes.
(3) Magemono:
Used for the cylindrical goods like tea caddies.
(4) Hoh-kiji:
Made of Hoh, a kind of magnolia, used for the intricately-designed goods like wooden vases or the legs of tables and stools.
‘Hoh’ is the tree from which we get ‘Hoh leaves’ which is well known as the material of ‘Hoh leaf miso’ the local cuisine in Takayama, which often appears in the animated TV show, ‘Manga Nippon Mukashi Banashi’.
The parent organization of Wajima Kirimoto is Kirimoto Carpentry Shop, which is a ‘Hoh-Kiji’ producer, that specializes in wooden molds made of magnolia. So they have great skill and know-how in creating the intricately-designed lacquered furniture and stationery.
The first step to produce the ‘wooden base’ is to select the lumber.
Only the lumber which has passed the strict screening process will be dried naturally for 3 years so that it will not swell up nor shrink. After the drying, they should be aged in storage for 5 or 6 years. Then these aged lumbers will be hewn to rough wooden molds. Furthermore these molds have to be smoked for a month, and after smoking, aged another year. Finally they are trimmed to be the ‘wooden base’ for lacquer-ware.
How much time and effort it takes for just the first stage !
When I went to Wajima city, I visited Mr. Kancho’s factory in Wajima Kirimoto who produces the wooden bases for their ‘Sugi-wan’ series.
Before entering the factory, we noticed a the spicy scented smoke coming from the wooden molds.
Mr.Kancho (left) Mr.Kirimoto (right)
The wall in fumigation room is gleaming black.
The fumigated molds are tiered like building-bricks.
The planes
Now I can enjoy the spicy flavour in my own room.
Next time I would like to introduce the lacquer-coated inn.
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