Nara lacquerware traces its roots to the lacquer craftsmanship of the Nara period seen in the treasures of the Shosoin and the ancient sacred objects of Kasuga Taisha, and Nara is sometimes called 'the birthplace of Japanese lacquerware.' Lacquer techniques introduced from the continent along with Buddhism in the Asuka period flourished during the Tempyo culture of the Nara period, and the Shosoin came to house numerous fine works, including the celebrated Five-Stringed Biwa with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay on Rosewood. From the Meiji era onward, Nara produced artisans who undertook the repair and reproduction of Shosoin treasures and the ancient sacred objects of shrines and temples, and through this work the technique of raden — mother-of-pearl inlay using lustrous shells such as yakogai (turban shell) — has been passed down. In raden work, layers of lacquer are applied to a wooden base, and shells cut into the shape of a design are inlaid and then polished to reveal a brilliance reminiscent of the Tempyo era. Lacquer artists including Kitamura Shosai, a Living National Treasure for raden, have carried on the art of Nara lacquerware to this day through both the conservation of cultural properties and original creation.
Origin
Nara is sometimes called 'the birthplace of Japanese lacquerware.' Lacquer techniques introduced from the continent along with the arrival of Buddhism in the Asuka period developed greatly amid the Tempyo culture of the Nara period. The Shosoin houses numerous fine works using the raden technique of inlaying shells into a lacquered surface, including the celebrated Five-Stringed Biwa with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay on Rosewood, and these are thought to have been made using techniques brought back by envoys to Tang China (kentoshi). These Shosoin treasures are the wellspring of the raden technique in Nara lacquerware.
History
From the Meiji era onward, many artisans engaged in the repair and reproduction of Shosoin treasures and the ancient sacred objects of Kasuga Taisha and other cultural properties emerged in Nara, and through this work the technique of thick-shell raden was refined and passed down. Kitamura Shosai (1938–2023), certified as a Living National Treasure for raden, was known for conveying the beauty of the Tempyo era to the present, engaging in both original creation and the repair and reproduction of cultural properties. His technique continues to be passed down to today's Nara lacquer artists through family and disciples.
Features
The defining characteristic of Nara lacquerware is the raden technique, which uses lustrous shells such as yakogai (turban shell). Shells are thinly cut and shaped into a design, inlaid into a wooden base layered with lacquer, and then polished to reveal decoration that shifts in brilliance depending on the angle. The thick-shell raden technique, cultivated through the repair and reproduction of Shosoin treasures, carries on the designs of the Tempyo era, and is applied not only to vessels and furnishings but also to accessories and other small items suited to modern life.
Techniques
Raden (Mother-of-Pearl Inlay)
A technique in which lustrous shells such as yakogai are thinly cut, shaped into a design, inlaid into a wooden base layered with lacquer, and then polished to a finish. In Nara, this technique has been refined through the repair and reproduction of Shosoin treasures and the ancient sacred objects of Kasuga Taisha.
Materials Used
Artisans & Workshops
北村昭斎
A Living National Treasure for raden (certified 1999). Also a Holder of Selected Conservation Techniques for lacquerware repair, he engaged in the reproduction of Shosoin treasures and the repair of cultural properties while conveying Nara's raden technique to the present (died 2023).
小西寧子
The eldest daughter of Kitamura Shosai, a lacquer artist who creates raden lacquer works at a workshop near Todai-ji. From a homemaker's perspective, she produces raden accessories at prices within reach with a little indulgence, and also takes custom orders and repairs.
How to Buy
- なら工藝館
- A display and sales facility run by Nara City dedicated to Nara's traditional crafts. It carries a wide range of items, from works by young artists to masterworks of skilled craftsmanship, including Nara lacquerware with raden decoration, and visitors can purchase pieces as travel souvenirs.Where to buy →PR