Kishu Bina are lacquered hina dolls made in Kuroe, Kainan, Wakayama Prefecture. Kuroe is known as a production area of Kishu Shikki (Kishu lacquerware), and Kishu Bina are made using its wood-base making and lacquer art techniques. Genuine urushi lacquer is applied to a round wooden base, like a mandarin orange that fits in the palm of the hand, and the face and kimono of each doll are hand-painted one by one using the maki-e technique. They came to be made as lacquerware hina dolls in the early Showa period. Around 1960, when Wakayama was a classic honeymoon destination, they became popular as travel souvenirs. In 2004 (Heisei 16) Kishu Bina became a Wakayama Prefecture Governor-Designated Local Traditional Craft. However, in 2016 the lacquerware shop that had been making the dolls closed, and production was interrupted for a time. Younger members of 紀州漆器協同組合 then worked to revive them, resuming production for the first time in seven years, and sales began in February 2024.
Origin
The origins of Kishu Bina are old, and there is even a legend tracing them back to around the 5th century. In the Edo period, Kishu Bina are said to have been presented to the lord of the Kishu Domain when the lord visited Nakagoto Shrine in Kuroe. After that they disappeared for a long time, but in the early Showa period (the early 1930s) they came to be made as local souvenirs in Kuroe, a town of lacquerware.
History
Around 1960, Wakayama was a classic honeymoon destination. Kishu Bina became popular as souvenirs for couples visiting places such as Wakanoura, Shirahama and Nachikatsuura. They became a prefectural Local Traditional Craft in 2004, but in 2016 the lacquerware shop that made them closed, and production stopped. In 2018, a volunteer group of younger members of 紀州漆器協同組合 formed the 'Kishu Bina Revival Project'. After spending about six years establishing the production process, they resumed sales in February 2024, and the dolls sold out in less than a month.
Features
Their typical form is a round shape like a mandarin orange that fits in the palm of the hand. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including a kokeshi-like form, and past products were about 4.5 to 13.5 cm tall. Layers of urushi lacquer are applied to a base of domestic natural wood, and the face and kimono of each doll are hand-painted one by one using the maki-e technique. The revived Kishu Bina are round, about 8 cm in both diameter and height. There are two kinds of finish: genuine urushi lacquer (navy and red) and urethane coating (white and pink).
Techniques
Division of labor
Kishu Bina have been made through a division of labor in which kijishi (wood-turners), base-coat specialists (shitajishi), lacquerers (nushi) and maki-e artists each take charge of their own stage. The revived Kishu Bina were registered as a trademark in December 2022, and five businesses in Kainan share the work from making the wooden base to lacquering and painting.
Painting with maki-e
On the lacquered dolls, a maki-e artist paints the face and the patterns of the kimono with a brush. About seven colors are used for each doll, and after each color is applied it is left to dry for a day before the next color is added. As a result, the painting alone can take more than two months.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Shaping
A kijishi carves domestic natural wood into the shape of the hina doll. Japanese snowbell (egonoki) was originally used, but because it became hard to obtain, the makers are said to have kept searching for a wood that does not crack easily and has an inconspicuous grain when reviving the dolls.
- 2
Base coat
A base-coat specialist applies the base coat with a brush, repairing and adjusting the shape of the doll. Persimmon tannin, urushi lacquer, animal glue (nikawa) and other materials are used as appropriate for the base coat. In the revived process, applying and drying the base-coat lacquer is repeated four times.
- 3
Middle coat and top coat
A lacquerer applies layer upon layer of lacquer to each doll with a brush or spatula, making the doll hard and durable. In the revived process, a middle coat of black lacquer is applied and dried four times, with polishing in between, before moving on to the top coat.
- 4
Painting
A maki-e artist paints the face and kimono with a brush. After each color is applied, it is left to dry for a day before the next color is added. Because of the hand-applied lacquer and hand-painted decoration, it takes three to four months to finish a pair.
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Artisans & Workshops
紀州漆器協同組合（紀州雛復活プロジェクト）
A cooperative of Kishu Shikki (Kishu lacquerware) makers centered on Kuroe, Kainan. At the end of 2018 a volunteer group of younger members launched the 'Kishu Bina Revival Project', and, led mainly by the youth division, spent about six years establishing the production process. State-of-the-art woodworking equipment has also been adopted for making the wooden bases, and today all stages are carried out in the Kuroe district.
池庄漆器店（池原弘貴）
A lacquerware shop in Kuroe, Kainan. Because inquiries from customers continued even after production of Kishu Bina stopped in 2016, 池原弘貴 resolved, 'Let's make them once more.' 池原弘貴 is the central figure who got 紀州漆器協同組合 involved and launched the revival project at the end of 2018.
How to Buy
- 紀州漆器伝統産業会館 うるわし館
- A facility exhibiting and selling Kishu Shikki (Kishu lacquerware), located at 船尾222, Kainan, Wakayama Prefecture. For the time being, the revived Kishu Bina are sold only by 紀州漆器協同組合 and can be purchased at this hall. The price is about 60,000 yen per pair. They are very popular, and reservations have at times been taken for the following year's sales.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
紀州漆器伝統産業会館 うるわし館（蒔絵体験）
和歌山県海南市船尾222
You can try the maki-e technique, which is also used to paint Kishu Bina. Choose from a round tray, an oval tray or a lunch box, apply the coating following the underdrawing as a guide, and sprinkle gold, silver or colored powder onto it. Held on weekends, taking about one hour, with reservations required. The hall is open from 10:00 to 16:30, and admission is free.
View details →FAQ
Q. Can I buy Kishu Bina at any time?
A. Only a small number of the revived Kishu Bina are produced, and for the time being they are sold only by 紀州漆器協同組合. The 2024 sales sold out in less than a month, and reservations were taken for the following year. If you are considering buying one, the surest way is to contact うるわし館 (073-482-0322).
Q. Why did Kishu Bina once die out?
A. Because there was no one left to carry on the techniques, and in 2016 the lacquerware shop that had been making the dolls closed. While the cooperative's youth division had inherited the techniques of lacquering and maki-e, its members had no experience in making wooden bases and are said to have struggled to make the shapes uniform.