Tsugaru Nuri (Lacquerware)

Tsugaru Nuri (Tsugaru Lacquerware) is a traditional and honorable artifact of Aomori which began to be produced at the end of the 17^th century. Tsugaru Nuri is basically designed for daily use that almost every household in Tsugaru area has at least 1 piece of Tsugaru Nuri item.

Tsugaru Nuri uses cypress body with cloth winded, and it takes more than 40 hand-made processes to complete such as foundation making, whetting, lacquering and polishing. One proper item takes about 60 days to be completed.

The following photo shows some typical process of chopstick making.



Kara Nuri

Whetting layered lacquer with whetstone, sandpaper or

charcoal,and polishing after some more lacquer layer.



Nanako Nuri

It uses rape seeds for making patterns. While a lacquer

layer is still wet, seeds are spread on the surface,

and removed after a piece gets dried.

Luckily, I had an opportunity to experience one of the processes of making Tsugaru Nuri under the instruction of real Tsugaru Nuri craftsmen. What I experienced seemed the one in the photo above (Kara Nuri).

First of all, I was handed vermillion chopsticks. They looked that just vermillion lacquer was layered, but there lay more than 10 layers with patterns underneath.

I was to whet chopsticks with wet sandpaper. Not to damage the patterns, I had to whet very tenderly.

  

After whetting about 2 minutes, there appeared patterns from underneath.



I completed this process after about an hour, changing sandpapers three times gradually from the coarse one to the fine .

I have to wait for another 1 week to have my own chopsticks to be sent after real craftsman applies the additional finishing lacquer coatings followed by final surface polishing.

This opportunity was carried out in the exhibition of Tsugaru Nuri, and if you’d like to try, please refer to the following places.

“Tsugaru Traditional Art and Craft Store” from aptinet

http://en.aptinet.jp/detail/xmldetail.html?xmlid=00000261

“Tsugaru Neputa-mura Village” from aptinet

http://en.aptinet.jp/detail/xmldetail.html?xmlid=00000211

☆Aomori Sightseeing Guide “aptinet”  http://en.aptinet.jp/

 

People to People Student Ambassador in Aomori – 03

On the fourth day of their stay in Aomori Prefecture, the delegation left their　homestay families in Hirakawa. All of them had good families that they wailed because of sadness as they departed (see the photo from the local bulletin in the previous article - 01).

After arriving in Aomori City, they visited the Prefectural Office to make a courtesy call on the vice governor of Aomori. They told the vice governor how they enjoyed their stay in Hirakawa and loved the host families, sceneries, food, people and every single experience.

The vice governor said that he wants them to lead to promote international understanding and friendship through experiences in Aomori.
 

The delegation and Aomori Prefecture exchanged the gifts, a Tsugaru lacquer ware (Tsugarunuri) to the delegation and a hand-made Native American blanket to Aomori Prefecture. The blanket was supposed to be handed last year, but because of the Earthquake, the program was cancelled that students couldn’t come to Japan.

After receiving an official welcome, they visited Aomori Minami High School. They were enthusiastically welcomed that despite of a short time visit, both American and Japanese students became good friends.

They were off to Lake Towada, the last place to visit in Aomori. After staying an overnight at Lake Towada, they'd go to Hiraizumi which is the area of World Heritage Site in Iwate Prefecture.

The students seemed to enjoy their stay in Aomori that they said they want to come back one day.

I spent with them only for a few days, but I loved them a lot and I hope they’d never forget their experiences in Aomori.

PEOPLE TO PEOPLE AMBASSADOR PROGRAMS: http://peopletopeople.com/

Aomori Sightseeing Guide "aptinet": http://en.aptinet.jp/