A lacquer ware shop located in Odawara city, Urushi Ishikawa.Each goods made by Odawara artisan hand, carefully carving the woods. They continue to protect the culture and tradition of Japanese style tableware since Muromachi period.
 

本店について

Urushi Ishikawa is lacquer ware shop that has its origin back from the Muromachi period (1336-1573). That time, Hakone mountains area have many trees and timber and lacquer ware products start to produced in great number. Back in Edo era, Odawara also shipped their lacquered goods to Edo (now Tōkyō). Even though most of us using styrofoam and plastic nowadays, the shop still protect their traditional art.

The goods are made from natural wood material and using traditional techniques. Their products mainly using zelkova trees, sandalwood, mulberry trees, and Japanese horse chestnut trees and lacquer the musing sap from Japanese lacquer tree (Rhus verniciflua). Odawara lacquer ware have a vivid wood pattern because their special technique known as “suriurushi-nuri” and “kijiro-nuri”.

The process making lacquer ware do not use large machines or robotic machine tools. Most of the craftwork are done by artisan hand. The lacquer ware fit perfectly to hold by hand because when sculpting the bowl or craftwork, the artisan adjust the shape so it can be used comfortably.

The shop goods always change, especially the design. This is because it is hand made and they take orders from other places so the type of goods they produce may vary. Some of their goods are bowl (wan), plate, spices place, bento box, et cetera. They also made necklace and bangle, all from woods.

おススメの品物

Their recommended products are the chopsticks, flower-shaped plate, and matcha container. The chopsticks are specially made from Onoore-kanba (Japanese birch tree), so it cost a little more than regular chopsticks. You better but the chopsticks place too. The one with half moon shape will create a flower when arranged like the picture below. It is the Odawara symbol, plum flower.

Next is the flower shape plate. Ishikawa shop sell usual round plate, but sometimes they will also made flower shape one when ordered. The flower shape takes a lot more hard work and precision to get the artistic finished products.

Last are the bento boxes and matcha container, this products are the most hard to produce because they don’t cut the wood then join it together. Instead, they take a piece of wood and sculpt it until it finished. Need a high skill for these craftworks.

Painting Your Plate

They held a taiken or making experience for you to join. The program requires around 5 peoples group, ask the store you want to do taiken and set the date. It usually cost 5,000 JPY to make a plate like the picture below. What you are doing is coloring the plate red and then rubs it until some parts get black to make the picture or symbol you want to have on your plate.

-Vivi-

Information

* Please make sure the info you see is the latest in advance.