Wajima-nuri ‘’Wajima Kirimoto’’ [1]
Wajima-Nuri is regarded as one of the best lacquer-wares in Japan, highly valued for its coating technologic excellence worldwide.
This time, I would like to introduce this brand of lacquer ware ‘Wajima Kirimoto’.
Actually there are many lacquer-ware production centers in Japan.
However it is only Wajima-Nuri that is designated as technical cultural property of national importance.
‘Jinoko’ is the powder made from ‘Keisoh-do’, the clay of Wajima originally made of dead phytoplankton accumulated on sea floor or the bottom of a lake or bog. ‘Jinoko’ can be generated by firing and grinding ‘Keiso-do’ into powder.
Keisoh-do which is well known as the material of charcoal brazier, is fire-safe, adiathermic, and water-absorbing. It is also often used as material for making walls.
Recently, this natural material has gotten a lot of attention, taking advantage of the current echo boom .
It is very surprising and wonderful that our ancestors discovered this feature of this material and utilize it for Wajima-nuri.
Not ‘Formal’ but ‘Casual’ works.
‘Wajima Kirimoto’ is a brand produced by a famous Lacquerware producer, Mr.Taiichi Kirimoto.
Mr. Kirimoto who once belonged to one of the biggest stationery and furniture manufacturer in Japan, ‘Kokuyo’, resigned from the company in 1987 to become a Wajima-nuri craftman.
Right now he is very busy not only with daily producition work and product development at his factory, but also for giving sminars or participating in exhibitions all over Japan. For example, at the end of 2007, he gave a seminar and displayed works at ‘Toraya’ in Tokyo Midtown, which turned out to be extremely successful.
Mr. Kirimoto sometimes produces special order works for some luxury brands.
He has actually designed and produced the Wajima-nuri accessory pouches with gold-relief for Louis Vuitton, which was arranged by a famous women’s magazine.
Normally Wajima-lacquer works needs more than 124 processes to complete.
So the production system of Wajima-lacquerware is based on a division of labor, divided into 8 or 10 stages of work. At each stage, a specialist completes a part of the work.
However, Mr.Kirimoto does not adopt such as system instead striving to produce and complete the works thoroughly from beginning to end.
Growing up as the son of a Wajima-nuri wooden base manufacture would later enable him to find and adapt the methods as described above.
It is soft to the touch, which makes it feel soft to our lips.
The surface of Wajima-Nuri is very fresh and moist because the lacquers hardens by taking in the moisture from the air, instead of drying up. So we can feel and the moisture so soon as we touch it.
Every morning, ‘Asaichi Street’ a street running a length of about 360 meters is crowded with the local people and lots of tourists.
When I visited last September, there were hundreds of shops, Wajima-Nuri shops, seafood shops or other shops lining the street. I could hear the brisk voices of the sales clerk of each shop here and there.
To be continued…
This time, I would like to introduce this brand of lacquer ware ‘Wajima Kirimoto’.
Actually there are many lacquer-ware production centers in Japan.
However it is only Wajima-Nuri that is designated as technical cultural property of national importance.
Wajima-Nuri is chic and shiny with a delicate and velvety color, so it looks delicate and fragile. On the other hand, it is very durable. So we can say Wajima-Nuri is, in reality and in name, the best lacquerware.
‘Jinoko’ is the powder made from ‘Keisoh-do’, the clay of Wajima originally made of dead phytoplankton accumulated on sea floor or the bottom of a lake or bog. ‘Jinoko’ can be generated by firing and grinding ‘Keiso-do’ into powder.
Keisoh-do which is well known as the material of charcoal brazier, is fire-safe, adiathermic, and water-absorbing. It is also often used as material for making walls.
Recently, this natural material has gotten a lot of attention, taking advantage of the current echo boom .
It is very surprising and wonderful that our ancestors discovered this feature of this material and utilize it for Wajima-nuri.
Not ‘Formal’ but ‘Casual’ works.
‘Wajima Kirimoto’ is a brand produced by a famous Lacquerware producer, Mr.Taiichi Kirimoto.
Mr. Kirimoto who once belonged to one of the biggest stationery and furniture manufacturer in Japan, ‘Kokuyo’, resigned from the company in 1987 to become a Wajima-nuri craftman.
Right now he is very busy not only with daily producition work and product development at his factory, but also for giving sminars or participating in exhibitions all over Japan. For example, at the end of 2007, he gave a seminar and displayed works at ‘Toraya’ in Tokyo Midtown, which turned out to be extremely successful.
Mr. Kirimoto sometimes produces special order works for some luxury brands.
He has actually designed and produced the Wajima-nuri accessory pouches with gold-relief for Louis Vuitton, which was arranged by a famous women’s magazine.
Normally Wajima-lacquer works needs more than 124 processes to complete.
So the production system of Wajima-lacquerware is based on a division of labor, divided into 8 or 10 stages of work. At each stage, a specialist completes a part of the work.
However, Mr.Kirimoto does not adopt such as system instead striving to produce and complete the works thoroughly from beginning to end.
Growing up as the son of a Wajima-nuri wooden base manufacture would later enable him to find and adapt the methods as described above.
‘Sugi-wan’ takes a perfect polish and shines as if it was a pearl.
It is soft to the touch, which makes it feel soft to our lips.
The surface of Wajima-Nuri is very fresh and moist because the lacquers hardens by taking in the moisture from the air, instead of drying up. So we can feel and the moisture so soon as we touch it.
Wajima-Nuri is a living, growing item. It can take on and retain the moisture to when used every day, rather than storing them in a cupboard.
Kanna (a kind of plane) are the tool used for creating the wooden basis.
As well as Wajima-Nuri, Wajima city is famous for the ‘morning bazaar’ which has been held every day for more than a thousand years. Actually not only Takayama Market in Gifu, and Katsura Market in Chiba, Wajima Morning Market is well known as one of three biggest morning markets in Japan.Every morning, ‘Asaichi Street’ a street running a length of about 360 meters is crowded with the local people and lots of tourists.
When I visited last September, there were hundreds of shops, Wajima-Nuri shops, seafood shops or other shops lining the street. I could hear the brisk voices of the sales clerk of each shop here and there.
To be continued…
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