Everyday Lacquerware Fitting the Current Era While Inheriting Tradition

Yamanaka lacquerware is made in the Yamanaka Onsen area of Kaga City. It boasts the number one production of turned wood cores in the country because there are many wood turners (kijishi) who cut down trees and process wood products using a potter's wheel. Yamanaka lacquerware, which utilizes the wood grain pattern and expresses a natural texture, takes the shape of the vessel in the direction the tree grows ("Tate-kidori" or vertical cutting). This makes it resistant to warping from drying, resulting in robust lacquerware and making it possible to exquisitely finish thin turnings and lidded items. "Gato Mikio Shoten" adds a modern essence while utilizing such traditional Yamanaka lacquerware techniques. The beauty of the silhouette is recognizable at a glance. The constraint of concentric circles by wheel turning rather accentuates its beauty. Its characteristic is eliminating unnecessary elements and elevating it to universal beauty and shape.