Tourist Site of Hida City -Takumi (the Master)/Hida Shunkei-

Takumi (the Master) - Hida Shunkei -


It is lacquer ware maintaining the beauty of wood pattern as it is and it is characterized by the pale gold color coating with transparent feeling. It is only accomplishable by the cooperation with two Hida’s “Takumi (the Master)”, one Master who can make the best of wood pattern and the other Master who can put the transparent lacquer coating not to ruin the wood pattern. Though the most of products the modern technology created tend to have the highest quality at the point of its creation and then deteriorate as time passes, the good quality products of Hida Shunkei increase its bright amber color and start displaying true artistic value as time goes by.

History of Hida Shunkei

In 1606, about 400 years ago (Keicho 11), it began by Saemon Narita serving Nagachika Kanamori of Hida put the transparent lacquer of buff yellow on a bird cage which was presented to the young lord, Shigechika (a grandchild of Nagachika who was later named Souwa Kanamori).

On 12th (the following year), Kisaemon Takahashi, “Kisho (the Master of Wood)”, created a clam style tray using the naturally beautiful wood pattern displayed on the shaved face of sawara Japanese cypress. Then, he finished it by coating with the transparent lacquer of buff yellow, the same one used by Saemon Narita. It was presented to Shigechika on the 4th day of the New Years of Keicho 13.

Shigechika was very pleased and named it “Shunkei (joy of spring), because it was presented in the early spring, or because it was similar to the yellow color of well-known tea ceremony pottery, “Hishunkei” created by the potter, Shiro-zaemon Kagemasa Kato.

Process


1.Original Material – Tree	2.Sewing Procedure	3.Roughing	4.Drying	5.Finish – Outside

6.Finish – Inside	7.Polish - Foundation	8.Coloring	9.Undercoat	10.Polish – Inside

11.Fixing Coating	12.Initial Polishing	13.Dipping into Japanese Lacquer	14.Final Polishing	15.Final Coating

Atelier


Raw lacquer- By grinding, the lacquer is coated for several times.	The raw lacquer is coated.	The brush is straightened before using it for the final coating.	Over coating The refined lacquer is coated.

	A scarce, special brush is used for coating. Women’s hair is used for the brush, which is put to the handgrip just like a pencil. As the brush is used, the part of the handgrip is scraped to fit the user’s hand. When not in use, it is soaked into the oil, so that the brush does not become fixed by the lacquer.
	It takes a while for the lacquer to dry. Because the lacquer gets fixed at the bottom if it is positioned in one direction, a machine is used to rotate it periodically 180 degrees while drying so that the lacquer spreads evenly.