The Kawatsura Lacquerware Traditional Craft Museum is located in Yuzawa City in southern Akita Prefecture. It is focused on the traditional craft of Kawatsura lacquerware, which has an 800-year history in this area. The museum’s facilities include exhibition sales of ceramics and porcelain, a historical archive museum, and an area where visitors can try their hands at decorating ceramics using chinkin (gold inlay) and maki-e (gold or silver powder) methods themselves. Kawatsura lacquerware is made using a traditional drying method that involves grinding domestic wood and oxidizing it with smoke. The smoked wood dries slowly at a low temperature, which reduces distortions caused by cracks in the wood. When the smoke components bind with the proteins in the wood, the wood is strengthened, becoming resistant to insects and rotting. The products are then painted with a distinctive technique called hananuri, which is known for its glossy finish.
※Advance reservations are required for the chinkin and maki-e experience classes.