1

1a

2

3

[Urushi]

Urushi has been believed to have special powers since ancient times and has been valued as an amulet against evil. It is believed that urushi has the power to keep evil things away from the food and water in lacquerware because of its resistance to decay and the severe rash it causes when touched by its sap. Monks practicing Zen meditation at Zen temples use black lacquerware called 'oryoki (応量器)' to eat their meals, and rinse the bowls with tea after each meal to keep them clean. Osechi dishes are stored in lacquered stacked boxes for several days. Urushi has strong adhesive and antibacterial properties, and research has shown that E. coli bacteria on lacquerware are almost completely killed after 24 hours. Because of its safety, protection, robustness, and aesthetic qualities, urushi is used in vermilion-lacquered buildings in China and Southeast Asia, as well as in shrines and temples in Japan.

Urushi is a natural resin paint obtained by refining the sap from scratches on the inner bark of the trunk of the urushi tree. Urushi dries at 25°C (77°F) and 70% humidity. Urushiol, the main component of urushi, incorporates oxygen through the action of the enzyme laccase, and polymerizes and hardens. The dried and hardened urushi coating has a unique soft texture and beautiful color and gloss. The more one uses urushi, the more brilliant it becomes, and as the years go by, the more transparent it becomes, and the more vivid the color urushi becomes.

Urushi has been used since the Jomon period, but today only a few percent of the urushi used in Japan is domestically produced, and most of it is said to be foreign. The spread of plastic paints and the rise of inexpensive imports in the postwar period have led to a sharp decline in domestic urushi production. It takes 10 to 15 years to extract urushi from a urushi tree, and a urushi craftsman can collect only about 200 ml of urushi from one tree in six months. It takes a long time and the skill of a craftsman to restore domestic urushi.

The habitat of poison ivy is limited to East and South Asia, and lacquerware became an important export to the West during the Age of Discovery. Marie Antoinette was a collector of lacquerware, and her mother, Maria Theresa, once said, 'I would rather have lacquerware than diamonds,' even having a 'urushi room' in her palace in Vienna. In the 17th century, a painting technique called “japanning” developed in many European countries. Pianos, which were usually finished with a wood-grain finish, were influenced by this japanning technique and were painted black.

Urushi is used in all its forms, including leaves, flowers, fruits, shoots, branches, and bark. For example, fruits can be roasted to make coffee, flowers can be used to make honey, and shoots can be eaten as tempura. The main ingredient of urushi is a Chinese herbal medicine called “kanshitu (干漆)” which is used for parasite extermination and to improve blood stagnation. In Korea, urushi has long been used as a medicinal herb to boost immunity, treat joint pain, and act as a stomachic. There is a herbal dish called “otgyetang (漆鶏湯),” which is made by boiling the bark of the urushi tree (from which the poison has been removed) and chicken meat together, similar to samgyetang.

Urushi is also known as “the paint closest to human skin.” Lacquerware has an excellent feel and mouth feel, and its lightness and the warmth unique to wood are attractive. In terms of handling, since lacquerware is sensitive to drying and sunlight, it should be washed quickly and rinsed well after use, and the moisture should be wiped off immediately. Lacquerware is one of Japan's representative traditional crafts, and we hope to preserve its tradition by using it carefully for years to come.

Appi Urushi Studio's Jubako
https://www.shokunin.com/en/appi/jubako.html

References
https://kakikofu.com/knowledge/kampo/漆と漢方薬と漆器のある暮らし/
https://www.9emon.co.jp/post/urushi_eat
https://www.yamakyu-urushi.co.jp/shikki/237_240/
https://okushizuurushinosato.com/
https://urushi-joboji.com
http://urushiart.com/about_urushi.html
https://urushi-joboji.com/urushi