About lacquer

Urushi lacquer is the sap that comes out when the lacquer tree is damaged, and it is an extremely versatile substance that can be used as a paint or adhesive through various processing methods. Kintsugi, the art of repairing broken pottery with gold, also uses urushi lacquer in all stages, including the final decorative work.

Lacquer trees grow in East Asia, including Japan. However, the lacquer trees from Japan and China have urushiol as their main component, while those from Thailand and Myanmar have thitiol as their main component. In this way, there are various types of lacquer trees. What is called lacquer in Japan is the type with urushiol as its main component, and its structure was determined and named in the 20th century by Professor Toshiyuki Majima and Professor Kisaburo Miyama.

Incidentally, if you get a rash in the mountains, it's almost always caused by poison ivy, but even though it's called "lacquer," it's actually a completely different substance called lacquer. The famous yellow dye used as the emperor's color, also known as lacquer dye, is derived from the sumac tree (Rhus succedanea) of the Anacardiaceae family.

The harvesting method is also unique; in Japan, a technique called "killing scratching" is used, where a special sickle is used to make small, parallel cuts in the wood from early summer to the end of summer, squeezing out the lacquer.

Hatsuhen → (Hatsuhen, a type of lacquer with high moisture content that is harvested at the beginning of summer),

Sakarihen (盛辺) → (lacquer, which contains a lot of urushiol and is harvested in the height of summer),

Suehen → (The thick, lumpy lacquer that can be harvested at the end of summer)

Save them in separate files.

In addition, there are methods to collect special types of lacquer such as *urame lacquer* and *eda lacquer* after the main type of lacquer has been depleted, but because the amount obtained is small compared to the effort involved, the number of people who can collect them has decreased.

Since lacquer trees don't grow naturally on their own, someone is needed to manage them.

Because harvesting is limited to a specific season, most harvesters work in agriculture or other jobs during the rest of the year.

Apparently, young lacquer tree shoots are a delicacy for animals, and every year, deer eating them causes problems due to damage from wild animals.

As spring approaches, more and more people involved with the lacquer industry start eating tempura made from the young shoots of the lacquer tree. Even planting trees involves many challenges beyond simply planting them.

A large amount of lacquer can be harvested in one season, but the trees die in the process. Therefore, the style of harvesting involves burying trees in various locations, allowing them to grow, and creating a sustainable cycle.

In China, a technique called "cultivating scraping" is used, where a V-shaped incision is made, and a large bivalve shell is inserted diagonally below to collect the lacquer that has accumulated in the shell. Since the lacquer is not completely removed in one go, the amount of lacquer harvested in one season is small, but the trees continue to grow, so Chinese lacquer trees are very large.

The downsides include rainwater getting in when it rains, and the fact that it's easy for dirt and debris to get inside.

Unlike in Japan, where lacquer is subdivided after harvesting, in China, the characteristics of the lacquer vary considerably depending on the region of origin. Is this because the vast land area results in a wide variety of soil types?

Shiroguchi is the average and most widely available variety, Moupo is rich in urushiol, and Hissetsu is rich in iron, sticky, and dark in color.

However, most lacquer shops sell pre-blended lacquerware. You might be able to find some that sell it separately if you search hard enough.

Good quality lacquer is said to be one that flows smoothly and continuously when lifted with a spatula, while lacquer that drips is not of good quality.

Currently, over 90% of lacquerware distributed in Japan is made in China, with some data showing that only 3% is made in Japan. At present, domestic demand in China seems low, but there are reports that the government is trying to increase demand for lacquerware domestically, indicating that the industry is in a critical state.

However, with the number of experts and sponsors gradually increasing, and with efforts such as planting lacquer trees and identifying and cloning varieties that produce good lacquer through scientific analysis (apparently some are producing as much as 400cc from a single tree, compared to the average of about 200cc), there is some positive news, and we can be hopeful for the future.