It is said that the use of lacquer dates back as far as the Jomon period.It is believed that stone tools were used to carve wood to form vessels, which were then coated with lacquer and used.
Lacquer is also thought to have been used as a bonding agent between stoneware and wood, taking advantage of the adhesive power of lacquer.
Urushi is resistant to acids, alkalis, and alcohol, and the fact that lacquer-lacquered vessels have been found thousands of years later is a testament to the durability of lacquer.
Lacquer has been handed downin Japan since ancient times and has been used in daily life.
Human Interaction and the Transmission of Techniques
The techniques of Echizen lacquerware have been enhanced through exchanges among various lacquerware production areas.
Lacquer craftsmen who traveled all over the country learned about the characteristics of lacquer. Some of the lacquer craftsmen who traveled throughout Japan became lacquer painters, taking advantage of their knowledge of the characteristics of lacquer and their skills.
Some lacquer craftsmen learned the techniques of round and square wooden blocks from Yamanaka and Wajima, and others learned the techniques of maki-e. The techniques of maki-e and chinkin were introduced through exchanges with other lacquer craftsmen in various regions.
Lacquerware production is supported by the cooperation of craftsmen and sellers. Lacquerware products are created and developed for a new era by accepting the opinions of the people who use them.
It is said that maki-e techniques were introduced in the Edo period. In the Meiji period, maki-e instructors taught maki-e craftsmen at apprentice training schools.
