Yokohama Shibayama Lacquerware is a craft that uses an inlay technique in which carved pieces of shell, ivory, tortoiseshell, and other materials are set into the surface of lacquerware to raise motifs of flowers, birds, and natural scenery in relief. The technique itself derives from 'Shibayama-zōgan' (Shibayama inlay), devised in Edo in the late Edo period by Onogi Senzo, a native of Shibayama village in Kazusa Province (present-day Shibayama, Chiba Prefecture). Following the opening of the port of Yokohama at the end of the Edo period, the technique developed independently in the trading port of Yokohama as an export craft aimed at overseas markets. It was highly regarded in Europe and the United States during the Meiji era, and at its peak nearly 100 craftspeople gathered in Yokohama, but the number of artisans fell sharply due to damage from the Great Kanto Earthquake and World War II, together with declining export demand. Today, Miyazaki Teruo is said to be the only active craftsperson still able to produce even large-scale works, and surviving pieces themselves are rare within Japan, making this an extremely scarce traditional technique.
Origin
The technique of Shibayama inlay is said to have been devised in Edo during the An'ei era of the late Edo period by Onogi Senzo (born 1775), a native of Shibayama village in Kazusa Province (present-day Shibayama, Chiba Prefecture), who traveled to Edo. It is a technique in which shell, ivory, tortoiseshell, and other materials are carved into the shapes of flowers, birds, and figures, then set into a surface carved to match on an object, raising the motif in three-dimensional relief. The name comes from Shibayama village, the home village of its originator.
History
Following the opening of the port of Yokohama at the end of the Edo period, Murata Kohei, a direct retainer of the shogunate, developed this technique as an export product from Yokohama. Winning a prize at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair established Shibayama lacquerware as its own distinct Yokohama craft, and it gained recognition in Europe and the United States during the Meiji era, drawing nearly 100 craftspeople to Yokohama at its peak. However, the number of artisans fell sharply due to damage from the Great Kanto Earthquake and World War II and declining overseas export demand, and few surviving pieces now remain within Japan.
Features
Its defining characteristic is the way shells such as shirochogai (white-lip pearl shell) and yakogai (turban shell), along with ivory and tortoiseshell, are carved into the shapes of flowers, birds, and natural motifs and set into a carved surface of the lacquerware, producing a three-dimensional decorative effect distinct from maki-e (lacquer painting with gold). Originally the work was divided among a lacquer coater, a maki-e artist, and an inlay specialist, but as the number of artisans has declined, today a single craftsperson typically handles every step. Very few artisans remain active, and passing on the technique itself has become a major challenge.
Techniques
Shibayama-zōgan (Shibayama Inlay)
A technique in which shell, ivory, tortoiseshell, and other materials are carved into the shapes of flowers, birds, and figures, then set into a matching hollow cut into the lacquerware's surface, raising a three-dimensional motif not found in maki-e. The work was originally finished through a division of labor among a lacquer coater, a maki-e artist, and an inlay specialist.
Materials Used
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Artisans & Workshops
宮﨑輝生
Born into a family that has produced Yokohama Shibayama lacquerware artisans for three generations, he is the only active craftsperson still carrying on the technique, with over 70 years of experience. He received the Kanagawa Culture Award in 2019 and is also working to train the next generation.
横浜芝山漆器研究会
A research group in which Miyazaki Teruo and lacquer artist Akahori Ikuhiko, among others, work to pass on and promote the technique. It regularly holds exhibitions and workshops at venues such as the Yokohama Skill Culture Center.
Official site →Hands-on Experiences
横浜市技能文化会館（匠プラザ）
神奈川県横浜市中区万代町2-4-7
Permanently displays two inro-shaped Shibayama lacquerware pieces produced in 1986–87 as part of a traditional-skills documentation and preservation project. Open 9:00–22:00 (reception until 19:00); closed on the second Wednesday of the month and during the New Year holidays.
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