87.5 -Kawaguchiya Shikkiten-

The history of Kawaguchiya Shikkiten dates back to 1946, just after the end of World War II. The founder, Muneo Sasaki, started a lacquerware manufacturing business called "Kawaguchiya Shikkiten" in Nagao (then Nagao-cho, Ochi-gun), Sanuki, Kagawa. In 1956 the business was incorporated, and for many years it has supported the local industry as one of the workshops that sustain Kagawa lacquerware.

However, after the burst of the economic bubble in the 1990s and with changes in lifestyle, the market environment for lacquerware became increasingly difficult, and demand gradually shrank. In 2000, the founder's eldest son, Yasuyuki Sasaki, joined the company. Feeling a strong sense of crisis, he realized they could no longer rely solely on traditional wedding and gift demand, and shifted towards developing products that fit contemporary lifestyles.

That shift led to a number of award-winning pieces, including "Setouchi Utsuwa," which won the Udon Prefecture Art Competition grand prize, the "Stacking Bowl," which received an Excellence Award in the Kagawa Prefecture Product Contest, and "Holiday's dish," which received the contest's Grand Prize. Building on this experience, the original brand "87.5" was launched in 2015.

The brand name reflects the desire to let more people know about lacquerware made in Kagawa. The workshop is located on the route between the 87th and 88th temples of the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage, and just as pilgrims take a short rest along the way, the brand hopes its pieces will be something you can reach for in the midst of daily life to pause and relax for a moment.

At the online shop "Shop 87.5" and the on-site store "shop 87.5" attached to the workshop, the brand's own lacquerware is shown alongside selected ceramics and everyday goods from around Japan, making it "a shop of tableware and tools that live alongside everyday life." The brand actively participates in department store events, craft fairs, the Tableware Festival and Kagawa craft exhibitions, sharing the world of Kagawa lacquerware and 87.5 with a wide audience. Going forward, 87.5 will continue to communicate the charm of lacquer from Kagawa — as sustainable tableware that can be refinished and used for many years, and as tools that bring small moments of happiness to everyday life.

A contemporary brand born from a lacquerware workshop founded in 1946

87.5 is a lacquerware brand created by Kawaguchiya Shikkiten, a workshop established in 1946 in Nagao, Sanuki City, Kagawa. As lifestyle changes and the demand for lacquerware declined, the workshop began asking, "What kind of lacquerware truly fits today's way of living?" In 2015 they launched 87.5 as a project to respond to that question. While inheriting the traditional techniques of Kagawa lacquerware, they create pieces that naturally blend into everyday scenes.

"Tools that let you feel happiness in your everyday life"

The brand concept is "tools that allow you to feel happiness in your everyday life." Rather than being reserved only for special occasions, these pieces are designed to gently lift your mood in small, ordinary moments — at breakfast, tea time, or over an evening drink. The light weight and comfortable feel of natural wood, combined with the depth and gloss unique to lacquer, bring a quiet sense of pleasure every time you use them.

Natural wood and lacquer: durable, sustainable tableware

All 87.5 pieces are made by applying multiple layers of lacquer to natural wood. Thanks to lacquer's excellent water resistance, heat insulation, preservative and antibacterial properties, the pieces can be used for 10 or 20 years or more if properly cared for. Lacquer can also be reapplied, making it a sustainable material suited to lifestyles that value using things for a long time rather than throwing them away. 87.5 actively communicates care tips through its "HOW TO USE" content to help people see lacquer as something for everyday use.

A wide range of products combining Kagawa techniques and modern design

The lineup covers a wide variety of categories: round and square trays, saucers and small plates, flat and large plates, small bowls and serving bowls, rice bowls and noodle bowls, cups, mugs and sake cups, jubako (tiered boxes), "horoku"-inspired plates, cutlery, tea utensils, selected ceramics, and gift sets. Based on Kagawa's traditional techniques such as Zokoku-nuri and Goto-nuri, the brand continues to release functional, contemporary designs like stackable bowls, round plates, color dishes, herringbone-patterned square plates, bowls inspired by Kurawanka style, and YURAGI bowls.

The character of handwork, created by five artisans

From turning the wooden base to undercoating, middle coating, top coating and finishing, each 87.5 item is made through a division of labor by five artisans. Because natural wood is used, the grain and tone vary from piece to piece, giving each one a unique expression. As you use them, the gloss deepens and they grow more comfortable in your hands — an ageing process that is an important part of the appeal of lacquerware.