Murakami kibori tsuishu

Murakami City is listed as the main production area for Murakami Kibori Tsuishu and is described as an old castle town in northern Niigata. The area’s connection with quality natural lacquer gave Edo-period makers the conditions for a carved-wood lacquer technique: a named place, a natural material, and a working sequence in which wood is cut before lacquer is repeatedly applied.

The work starts with fully dried natural woods such as magnolia, horse chestnut, and katsura. Woodworkers shape these materials into bases for vases, trays, inkstone boxes, tea cabinets, and related objects, setting the edges, planes, and curves that will later hold carving and lacquer. Before the red surface appears, each piece is already a wooden form with a specific use.

Carvers draw directly on the front of the wooden base, using designs such as flowers and birds, landscapes, and peony arabesques. They also cut fine motifs of rivers, seas, rocks, flowers, and birds into the wood. Brush-drawn lines guide the strength of the image, while carving methods such as low relief and deeper cutting give a tray, vase, or inkstone box its visible rhythm.

The lacquerer works within a narrow margin. If the lacquer is too thick, it fills the carved lines; if it is too thin, polishing can expose the wooden edges and the corners of the motifs. Fingertips, pads, and brushes help control the coating, while sealing, rust-paste undercoating, polishing, middle coats, and top coats build a durable surface without losing the carved structure.

After the top coat, matte finishing, hairline carving, and a final wiped coat give Murakami Kibori Tsuishu its restrained surface. Red Tsuishu sits beside variations such as black Tsuikoku and Shudame-nuri, whose final amber tone comes through additional lacquer and polishing. In daily handling, the red surface gains color and gloss rather than staying fixed on the day it was finished.

Murakami Kibori Tsuishu is made in forms that move across the table, the tea setting, and the desk. The named examples include chopsticks, trays, confectionery bowls, small plates, guinomi cups, incense containers, natsume tea caddies, stationery, accessories, and book covers. The same carved wood and lacquer layering must adjust to a small cup, a flat tray, or an object handled during writing.

Murakami Kibori Tsuishu Hall stands inside the Murakami Tsuishu business cooperative in Matsubara-cho, Murakami City. It displays pieces from nine local lacquerware businesses and the cooperative, including vases, trays, confectionery bowls, tea utensils, tableware, stationery, and accessories. Visitors can also see production tools and lacquer-tapping tools, and when working craftspeople are present, they explain the making process and the history of Murakami Tsuishu.