Culture

Picking Up the Pieces: Wajima Craftsman Returns Home to Make Beautiful Lacquerware Again

Three months after the earthquake devastated Wajima, the birthplace of Wajima lacquerware, Haruo Nakamiya returned home to rebuild his business from the ashes.

Published

4 weeks ago

May 23, 2024

Kazuya Kamogawa

Haruo Nakamiya checks lacquered bowls for dust and other particles. (©Sankei by Kazuya Kamogawa)

Three months after the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, Haruo Nakamiya picked up his brush for the first time since the disaster. As he applied a coat of vermilion, a simple vessel began to emit a radiant sheen. The Noto Peninsula Earthquake that struck on January 1 caused extensive damage to numerous lacquerware shops and workshops in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture. It destroyed many Wajima lacquerware pieces, a traditional craft of the city.

Amid concerns about the craft's survival, one craftsman returned to Wajima from his evacuation shelter. There, he re-established his workshop and even managed to restart production.

*An artist sprinkling gold powder onto a lacquered box in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture. (©Sankei by Kazuya Kamogawa).*

A Craftsman's Return to Wajima

That craftsman was 68-year-old Haruo Nakamiya, the president of Nuritaro, a lacquerware manufacturer and seller at the Wajima Morning Market.

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The market was destroyed by a fire that broke out after the earthquake. Although his employees and family survived the disaster, his home, workshop, and three storehouses were completely burnt down. His products and tools were also destroyed, leaving him feeling at a loss.

*Haruo Nakamiya previously visited his burned-down home and workshop a month after the earthquake on February 1. (©Sankei by Masamichi Kirihara)*

The turning point came from a remark by a fisherman he knew: "It's just lacquerware — I'm sure you can work it out somehow."

The fisherman was unable to set sail due to the uplift caused by the earthquake around the port. But all Nakamiya needed was his unharmed body, his tools, and a place to work. With that thought, Nakamiya began to take action.

Even if he couldn't work at the morning market again, Nakamiya knew he had to return to Wajima. The stable humidity of Wajima throughout the seasons is ideal for crafting lacquerware. He found a partially damaged property on a hillside away from the sea, which could be converted into a workshop.

*Haruo Nakamiya places lacquerware bowls into the "furo" drying cupboard on May 1. (©Sankei by Kazuya Kamogawa)*

Creating for People Again

However, there was one more item he needed: a cupboard made of cedar boards, called "furo," used to dry lacquerware. Currently, there are only a few craftsmen who can make one, and it takes several years to complete. After searching with the help of acquaintances, Nakamiya found a retired craftsman who gave him his furo, which had not been used for decades.

He then called back craftsmen who had evacuated outside the prefecture. Together, they resumed production in mid-April. Surrounded by the furo cupboards, Nakamiya said, "I feel relaxed. This is where I can truly be myself. We can make lacquerware for people again."

The earthquake on New Year's Day dramatically altered Wajima, the city of lacquerware. Yet, with the unwavering determination of its craftspeople, a new chapter is being painted over the city, layer by layer.