What is lacquer?
Urushi refers to the sap extracted from the lacquer tree, and has been used as a paint in Japan since ancient times.
Crafts and tools finished with lacquer are called lacquerware, and are still produced by artisans in many regions throughout Japan as traditional crafts.
Because of this history, lacquerware is known as "Japan," just as porcelain is known as "China" in English, and is widely known around the world.
Lacquerware has a deep, beautiful luster unique to lacquer, and is durable and resistant to heat and humidity. For these reasons, it has been widely used for everyday items such as tableware and furniture, as well as jewelry and musical instruments.
kinds
The lacquer tree is widely distributed in Southeast Asia, including Thailand and Vietnam, but is a different species from the lacquer trees found in China and Japan, whose main component is urushiol.
Japanese lacquerware uses lacquer with urushiol as its main ingredient.
lacquer bath
While most paints dry and harden when the water contained in them evaporates, lacquer hardens through the oxidation of enzymes.
This oxidation is most likely to occur in an environment with a temperature of 25°C and humidity of 75%. To accelerate the hardening process, a special facility called a "lacquer bath" is used to maintain this constant environment.
Lacquer has the characteristic that if the initial hardening timing is missed, it will take an extremely long time to harden afterwards.
For this reason, the temperature and humidity of the lacquer bath are constantly controlled by sprinkling water, a process known as "humidification."
rash
Most people, including lacquer artisans, will experience an allergic reaction if wet lacquer comes into contact with their skin.
The main symptoms are itching and blisters, and severe cases require treatment by a dermatologist.
Allergic reactions can occur if the lacquer applied to lacquerware is not cured sufficiently, so lacquerware is always shipped in a fully cured state.
In addition, lacquer trees, which grow in abundance throughout Japan, turn beautiful red in the fall, but please be careful as getting close to them can cause allergies.
The process of maki-e
A technique often used in lacquerware is "maki-e," in which metal powder or other particles are sprinkled on top of the lacquer before it dries, and the pattern is fixed by hardening.
Maki-e is produced through the following process:
1. Lightly roughen the surface before applying lacquer.
2. The lacquer is applied with a brush, taking care to avoid fading or uneven thickness.
3. Before the lacquer hardens, metal powder is sprinkled evenly.
4. Place in a lacquer bath to harden. Once hardened, brush off any excess metal.
5. Lacquer is applied to the metal powder, allowing it to soak in.
6. Then place it in a lacquer bath to harden.
7. Once it has hardened, finish the surface and it's done.
What is Aizu lacquerware?
Aizu lacquerware is said to have originated in the Muromachi period.
In 1590, Gamo Ujisato became the lord of the region, bringing with him craftsmen such as woodworkers and lacquerers, and encouraged the production of lacquerware, which led to the rapid development of Aizu lacquerware as an industry.
Hana-nuri, a specialty of Aizu lacquerware, is a painting method that makes the most of the luster of the top coat of lacquer.
The more you use it, the more lustrous it becomes, giving it a more glamorous look.