A Golden Glow

Jan 17, 2025

「EP.03」秀衡塗

HIDEHIRA-NURI
Iwate Prefecture

「transcript」

There are 1,456 traditional crafts in Japan, and I’ll be sharing every single one of them! Today, we’re uncovering the brilliance of Hidehira Nuri from Iwate Prefecture!

Hidehira Nuri is a breathtaking lacquerware with over 800 years of history, dating back to Japan’s Heian period. It’s named after Hidehira Fujiwara, the ruler of Hiraizumi’s golden age—a time when a 70-year gold rush, combined with flourishing Buddhist culture, sparked an artistic wave that used gold to symbolize heaven, the land of perfect bliss!

What makes Hidehira lacquerware truly unique is the use of gold leaf to create stunning patterns like Genji clouds and diamond motifs. Unlike maki-e, which uses sprinkled gold powder, Hidehira lacquer’s smooth, subdued finish lets the natural glow of lacquer shine through.

So, how is it made?

The production of Hidehira lacquerware starts with the collection of lacquer. Lacquer is a type of sap secreted by the trees in order to heal their wounds, and cuts are made on lacquer trees and are usually collected between June to October. With this lacquer, artisans use with wood from trees like zelkova or horse chestnut, dried for up to ten years to prevent cracking. The wood is shaped, sanded, and sealed with raw lacquer to strengthen and prevent it from absorbing moisture.

Next comes three stages of lacquering, undercoat, middle, and final—with each layer dried in a humidity-controlled box. The final coat has to be flawless since it won’t be polished. and for the pièce de résistance, comes the gold leaf. the patterns are carefully applied by entirely by hand using a brush.

Thanks to Iwate’s artisans, Hidehira Nuri continues to shine as a dento-kogeihin. And now we see it evolve. Its luxurious techniques are being applied to modern creations like glassware, where tradition meets innovation.

*The assets featured here are the work of their rightful creators, credited below