Kitahara Urushi Studio

The journey of Kitahara Urushi Studio begins when lacquer artist Hisashi Kitahara, born in 1939, was captivated by lacquer in the town of Kiso-Hirasawa, which he visited at age 16. Setting up his workshop in Kiso-Hirasawa in 1965, he has upheld a making style of doing every process by his own hands — from undercoating to top-coating and decoration — while facing wood and lacquer.

In the 1980s he was also involved in large-scale cultural-property restoration, serving as head of the lacquer division for the Showa-era great restoration of Kyoto's Kinkaku-ji. That experience is also put to use in making works that combine robustness and beauty, leading to a distinctive expression that employs diverse techniques such as carved-lacquer (tsuishu-bori), choshitsu, raden (mother-of-pearl inlay), kinma and maki-e.

Meanwhile, wood-and-lacquer artist Susumu Kitahara grew up in touch with his grandfather's woodwork and his father's lacquer art, and after woodworking training began lacquer work under his father in 1989. By handling everything alone, from making the wooden base to the lacquer finish, he explores the forms of vessels and miniature shrines while listening to the voice of the material, proposing wood-and-lacquer vessels that blend into modern life.

The works born in the studio are made of natural materials such as wood, lacquer, shell, hemp cloth and sabi-tsuchi (rust clay). Even in drying the lacquer, much is entrusted to the forces of nature, such as temperature and humidity, and within that flux each work reveals its own "face" (form). Vessels and miniature shrines born from a dialogue with wood, lacquer and nature bring quiet color and calm to daily life.

Established in 1965, a wood-and-lacquer workshop rooted in Kiso-Hirasawa

Kitahara Urushi Studio is a workshop opened in 1965 by lacquer artist Hisashi Kitahara in Kiso-Hirasawa, Shiojiri City, Nagano. Rooted in a land known as the home of Kiso lacquerware, it has continued making works while facing wood and lacquer.

A style of integrated production, from planning and design to wooden base and lacquer

In many workshops, woodwork and lacquering are divided among different hands, but at Kitahara Urushi Studio a feature is doing every process by their own hands — from planning, design and engineering to making the wooden base, undercoating, top-coating and decoration. Through that integrated production, works are born that delicately draw on the character of the material and the expression of lacquer.

Lacquer artist Hisashi Kitahara, who took part in the great restoration of Kinkaku-ji

The studio's founder, Hisashi Kitahara, served as head of the lacquer division for the Showa-era great restoration of Kinkaku-ji (1986–1987), an artist who has walked a path devoted solely to lacquer art. Commissioned to make letter boxes, he has also created works presented to the Imperial Household, working for many years at the forefront of lacquer art.

Wood-and-lacquer artist Susumu Kitahara, who handles every process of woodwork and lacquer

Wood-and-lacquer artist Susumu Kitahara handles everything in-house, from woodworking techniques such as lathe-turning, joinery and hollowing to the lacquer finish, giving form to vessels and miniature shrines he designs himself. After consecutive selections for the Kokuten exhibition and various awards, he works as a member of the Kokugakai while pursuing the making of works that warmly color daily life.

Wood-and-lacquer works exhibited at museums, galleries and department stores

The works of Kitahara Urushi Studio are exhibited through solo and group shows at museums and at galleries and department stores at home and abroad. Wood-and-lacquer works that show diverse expression according to use and space — miniature shrines, incense containers, trays, bowls, stacked boxes, Buddhist altar items and more — bring a quiet presence into daily life.