Beauty Revealed Only Through Relentless Polishing

Dec 19, 2025

「EP.99」津軽塗

TSUGARU NURI
Aomori Prefecture

「transcript」

300 years ago, the 4th feudal lord of Tsugaru invited lacquer artisan Ikeda Genbei (池田源兵衛) from Wakasa, beginning the lineage of Tsugarunuri. By the mid-1700s, its distinctive patterns were already noted in official records, and after its appearance at the 1873 Vienna Expo, the name ‘Tsugaru Nuri’ spread internationally.

Tsugaru Nuri’s signature Togidashi Kawarinuri (研ぎ出し変わり塗り) creates patterns within the lacquer layers rather than on the surface. Multiple colors are applied unevenly, then polished back to reveal the hidden design.

Of the many historical methods, four techniques remain today. Kara Nuri (唐塗) produces floating, colorful flecks through textured dots, layered colors, and polishing. Nanako Nuri (七々子塗) uses sprinkled rape-flower seeds to form tiny circular impressions that reveal soft, shimmering patterns when polished. Monsha Nuri (紋紗塗) begins with a hand-drawn black pattern that is later coated and dusted with rice-husk charcoal to create a smoky texture. Nishiki Nuri (錦塗), the rarest and most intricate, builds on Nanako patterns with added motifs finished in tin powder, a technique mastered by only a few artisans.

Today, young makers continue to evolve this craft through collaborations with glass artists, jewelry designers, and interior brands, bringing this centuries-old lacquer technique into modern lifestyles.

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