After the feudal government moved to Edo, whenever a lord had a baby girl, soon lacquered marriage trousseau was made for supplies, and the our masters are said to have done this work over a few years. Learning the skill from my father who was the tenth generation, according to the word, "Lacquer is Life," I will try to produce products that are beautiful, strong and easy to use.
This saucer can become a small plates This is a product I'm doing. (Wood is not used?) It's not wood. The gypsum is drained into the clay, then after the clay is removed, we paste and pile the hemp cloth and Japanese paper.
It takes about six years, doing it seriously.... Then, this one here was finished about a month ago. This one, it's been about 3,4 years since it was finished? Then, this one was done by my mater, and it's been 120 years. (120 years!) That's why it becomes this way, as the years go by. (It changes?) Yes, yes. (Even if it's not being used?) Even if it's not being used. A customer who came yesterday said, "Lacquer loses its gloss as years pass, and becomes white." It is not so. We get the lacquer from Ibaragi. Then, we make it, but, the quality of the Japanese lacquer, this is the real high-quality of lacquer. So, as 100 years go by, it gets better. Color and everything else changes. Would you smell this? It smells so sweet, if it's real. (It seems like it's fermented?) Yes, this is real sap. Since we use such, it becomes this high-quality. No matter how many years go by, the real stuff. (Why doe s the color change?) All the same, lacquer becomes hard by absorbing water and oxygen by itself. All chemical paints, they don't harden without an hardening chemical. Lacquer, without such hardening chemical, hardens by itself by absorbing water. That's why they harden like this day by day. (The hardness is increase?) Yes, absolutely. So, (hitting it,) see, the sound is different. This one, makes a cloudy sound, right? This here, see. (It makes a sharp sound!) See, it's at all different, yes.
We went to deliver a product to a customer, but as soon as she saw this, at once, she wanted to buy it. (Does it take a while to make it?) That's why we only sell what is complete. It's impossible. Customers who have trust in us come and order, but really, we want them to be satisfied with the products after it is finished. Well, these stuff are sold after I explain well. (What gets done to the dry-lacquere flax?) It's pulling out. Pulling it out of the mold. Usually, it's dry lacquer. (Is dry-lacquered flax made differently?) It's the same. They are all the same, but to put it shortly, among the Buddha statues, for example, at first it is molded by clay, anddraining gymsum, then, the clay is taken off. The gymsum hardens, right? Then we paste hemp cloth all over. When the cloth is dry and the mold is hardened, gymsum is destroyed, and then this time, we paste the front. That's why it's officially called a dry-lacquered flax. (Is the quality of the lacquer the biggest character of the product?) Quality. The old saying, "A good workman does not complain about his tools," it's all a lie. Our lacquer brush is lady's hair. And it gets better as it get's older. Why that is so, is, while the lady is alive, there is oil in her hair. That gets lost. And it becomes a fine and easy to use lacquer brush. We say hake. (Brush for lacquer?) Quality comes before anything. It's no good if you don't use high-quality material. This green, too, isn't made chemically.
(Dry-lacquered flax that changes color with age is interesting!) A customer jokingly said, "Well, then, this color won't be accomplished while I'm alive," but a customer quite well-aged bought this. Also another customer said, "I have a small change." That meant he had a big amount of money, but he said, "It makes no sense to leave it." So it was immediately after the arrival. "Oh, this is good," he said. "Even if I die, they'll take good care of this." He bought it right then. Although we are in depression, some people are like this. So, as long as you hit it right?
This is called toutai, burning lacquer into the china. It's a green-tea bowl. (Does it break if it's dropped?) Ah, yes, it does break. But, it can't be fixed again.
(Is there a mold passed down the generation?) That's dry-lacquered flax I showed you before. Other than that, since it's hand-made, it differs a little bit.It's not necessary to fit in that mold. (Is the mold made each time?) Yes, yes, yes, that's mold. Because we break it. (Five molds are made for five-pieces?) Yes, well that's right. (You can't reuse?) That doesn't make business. The master of the shop where I was bound apprentice.... I was lucky.... In the old days, they said, steal a good work. It wasn't like that. He taught me all from one to ten. He told me, "Being a wandering artisan, there was not one shop where I was taught." But since,"It isn't such an age," he taught me everything, including stuff my father didn't even know. From chinkin to makie and all. (Your father was your predecessor?) No, predecessors include grand-fathers and everyone before th at. We have been continuing for eleven generations, and my mother and father were adopted. The Nakajima's worked at Nihon-bashi, till the ninth generation. At that time, apprentice and artisans, there were about 50, they say. Then, apprentices all came out from their home towns. After 7 years of training, at last, they get what's called salary, I heard. My father was liked and he was adopted, he said. (Is there any other Nakajima who was set up in business?) No, there aren't any.
The reason why lacquer workmen don't come out is, we were luckily blessed and had many stuff, but if one wanted to get started from one, it's impossible. (How is the demand now?) These chopsticks and bowls sell well. These general goods. These chopsticks sell really well. The reason is, these chopsticks can be repaired. With real red sandalwood. There aren't any other chopsticks with which you can pick so well. (Funny!) It's funny, but our customers asy that the chopsticks sold now all slip, and they all waht these. Try it. (Pick konnyaku (devil's-toungue jelly) with chopsticks?) Yes, it's obviously different, isn't it? And also, these chopsticks can be repaired. (What kind of repairs?) Well, for example, when it is used for five years, it might break accidentally. But these aren't chopsticks that would break because the material is hard and strong against bending. (You connect those that are broken?) Well, they become a little short. But compared to others, our chopsticks are long, even those for ladies. So, that means it lasts long. (Why doesn't it slip?) From long time ago, red sandalwood and ebony, they don't slip. The quality of the material, you know. (Without making it not smooth?) It's interesting, but you can see it's smooth by touching it, the point. (But still?) Yes, that's so.
This sells really well now, this ring. (What is the ring?) It's dry-lacquered, and not coral. These are earrings, brooches. (Handing them over,) The darker the color, it makes a better color. (May I have it?) (Smiling) As long as you leave money for it.
Now I think it was good I did this job, but it was hard then, my training days. (How old were you when you started?) Became an apprentice right after I graduated middle school, trained there for about two years or so. Then, since lacquer alone wasn't enough, I studied chemical paints outside of the shop. Cashew is the closest to lacquer. It's called cashew lacquer. The oil comes out of the cashew nuts, so it must be pretty similar, but it's not even close to lacquer. Because lacquer is taken from real wood. The rest is made all from oil. It's really impossible.
(This ring is wood painted?) No, this is dry-lacquer. Painting it once or twice won't make it this color. (How many times did you paint it?) About 30 times or so. (Wow.) Uh-, that's platinum. This one is gold. And since this one has diamond in it, it's original. Also the pendant. Now, only these uncommon products sell. With normal products, it isn't possible. These, too, our customers buy because it's uncommon.
(What is this powder?) This is called tsunoko, it's a burnt antler. (Is it hand- polished?) At last, it is. (It's better to use horn powder?) It's better to use it. The gloss is this different. (The red is a deeper red!) Right, isn't it? That's why. (Making lacquer is a hard job from getting it to the finish?) Yes, of course. (Is it necessary to work all year?) Yes, it becomes more charming. Since my father had kept horn power, if you bought it today, it would cost thousands yen. (You would buy it a Tshunokiri (*The antlers of all deer in Nara's temples are cut once a year for the safety of visitors) in Nara?) No, they have it at lacquer shop. My father bought that. (Are there less horn powder now?) I feel there are already very little. (Are you the last generation? ) My generation is the last. Everyone worries and asks, "Is there some to succeed you, Mr.Naka jima?" but the reality is, there are no more materials. Even with bowls, there'll be no more real hollow cut in less than ten years.
Now, there aren't a lot of sharpening charcoal left. Charcoal that sharpens lacquer. Burning Chinese wood is used for charcoal to sharpen lacquer. It becomes more expensive as it gets finer. Now, some are sharpened with paper, but we sharpen the real high-quality ones with charcoal. That charcoal is very hard to get now.
