Urushi leather is shining and clear like amber.
Sap has been fossilized and turned into amber in thousands years.
Urushi is also made from sap so urushi have strong relationship with amber.
Urushi lacquering has been used since 14000B.C.～300B.C. (Jomon-period in
Japan).
This is the one of Japanese traditional crafts.
We are trying to lacquer urushi on cordovan, which is rare part of horse leather.
Also using “natural” Hon-urushi…that is so daring…
If you know both urushi and leather, you might feel skeptical on our trials.
Well…we made it.
So, we would like to introduce our partner of urushi…
and our precious products.
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| ・・・Yamanaka urushi has been updated at Yamanaka Onsen・・・ |
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We have a customer for 30 years from Yamanaka Onsen, Ishikawa, and owns
his Urushi tableware shop, Kihachi-kobo. I occasionally know that and have
interest in Urushi…why not to ask my favor to my customer then…might be
difficult to ask though.
“I would like you to lacquer Urushi on our cordovan leather !”
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| Kihachi-kobo, the flagship shop, Yamanaka Onsen, Kaga, Ishikawa |
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“Wait..Urushi lacquering on leather? Using natural Urushi, not synthetic
urushi? Urushi is basically lacquered on sold surface so it is impossible.
I have tried to do about 10 years before but failed. Urushi would crack
when folding leather.”
This was the first call with Kihachi-san. He is the 5th generation of Urushi
master. That cannot be wrong. However I was not a person just gave up with
his comment.
“Which leather did you use at that time?” I asked him.
“That was cow leather, I think.” he said.
I know that the important thing here is the leather treatment (prevent
from rotting) to be lacquered, not leather itself. Surface treatment is
also important.
“How about this? I have numerous knowledge in leather and Kihachi-san,
you do in Urushi. What would happen if we collaborate?”
I might pushed away but he understood what I wanted.
“Well…This is something we have each other.”
Actually Urushi lacquering is separated into several procedures and of
course there are some craftsmen to lacquering Urushi but Kihachi-san had
a concern. “Can anyone accept trying Urushi on leather ? Among my craftsemen...” |
| “Hon-urushi,” not synthetic Urushi, needs extra technique to lacquer. Hon-urushi
on leather might be the first in Japan, or even in the world. |
Well…to tell the result first, they have succeeded in lacquering urushi
on cordovan in about 3 months with trial and error. Then I wanted to visit
their place to understand how they lacquer urushi on leather.
In July, 2021, my wife and I went to Kaga, Ishikawa to see them with equipments
to take photos.
The craftsman we met was a lady with a lot of words though I imagined the
craftsman as an “old and less words” actually. Kihachi-san told me that
ideal craftsmen for urushi lacquering was precise and delicate in their
works.
We went to the house of urushi craftsman, Michiko-san. I felt unique urushi
smell as soon as we got inside her workplace.
She told me with care. “Are you all right? Some feel bad with this smell…and
be careful, here is the place for “raw” urushi (pure sap) so please do
not touch things around you. You will get a rush.” |
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| “Raw” urushi needs extra care |
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| Lacquering “raw” urushi on cordovan |
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“Don’t touch it !”
I just touched accidentally a piece of paper for wiping urushi during takin
photos. Michiko-san brought solvents immediately and wiped my hand. Then
photo session re-started.
“Oh! You touched it again! No! You get a rush !”
I made her get angry again. I was very sorry to her since I had to wipe
my hand again. The cordovan lacquered few days before cannot be touched
too.
Michiko-san herself touches the cordovan and other things with urushi with
bare hands. I asked her that and she said that she might get used to it.
I guess she has immunity to urushi.
My wife suddenly felt pain in her eyes and so did I. We were infected with
urushi gradually. Michiko-san noticed that and advised us not to take bathing
today.
“Oh wait, we are going to stay Yamanaka Onsen. No bathing today. That’s
unbelievable !”
I replied but she told me that we should not wash body with soap since
urushi spread all around our bodies…
You might think urushi is dangerous…but this is the case when urushi is
in pure sap. Like urushi tableware, if urushi is cured, no problems here.
Raw urushi and urushi goods are completely different things. |
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| Michiko-san is polishing up the surface of urushi cordovan…This is tough
work. |
Lacquering, rubbing and polishing urushi on cordovan. They continue this
cycle for 5 times in 15 days. After each set of process, they put leather
on a rack for curing. Urushi is cured with warm and humid environment.
This rack enables to keep ideal condition for curing urushi all the time.
After 5 sets of lacquering urushi and 10 days for quality checking, those
cordovan with urushi are shipped to PAIR SLOPE and Asama atelier creates
wallets and key chains. Please look at those masterpieces. |
What a beautiful !
Cordovan with urushi has the shine like amber. Actually the surface of
this urushi is higher durability than cordovan itself.
Cordovan is said to be weak in water. Our products with cordovan are waterproofed but not good at soaking.
But urushi make the surface waterproof. This is why people have been using urushi for tableware.
Unintentionally we have made a cordovan with great waterproof performance
by lacquering urushi. |
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| Lineups of cordovan with urushi,“Kohaku-urushi” |
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*Kohaku-urushi is handmade and some differences in color of surface exist
among products.
Tax exemption available for purchases made at Pairslope Shops in Japan.
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Kohaku-urushi Long wallet-MACHI
■Material : Outer : Cordovan (horse) / Inner : Cow leather (Sand color)
■Color : Kohaku ■Size : 95 x 190mm
■Price : 63,000 JPY |
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Kohaku-urushi Compact wallet with a zip
■Material : Outer : Cordovan (horse) / Inner : Cow leather (Sand color)
■Color : Kohaku ■Size : 90 x 115mm
■Price : 41,000 JPY |
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All leather inside and out |
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Kohaku-urushi Coin case
■Material : Outer : Cordovan (horse) / Inner : Cow leather (Sand color)
■Color : Kohaku ■Size : 98 x 68mm
■Price : 11,000 JPY |
Kohaku-urushi Key chain
■Material : Outer : Cordovan (horse) / Inner : Cow leather (Sand color)
■Color : Kohaku
■Price : A-type 4,500 JPY, B-type 4,000 JPY |
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| Online shop for Urushi products >> |
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