Visit a Century-Old Workshop in Hiroshima to Learn the Secrets of Lacquerware and Dine on Lacquerware Dishes at a Nearby Local Restaurant

Hiroshima’s Legacy of Expert Craftsmanship

Founded in the late sixteenth century with the building of its grand castle, Hiroshima was ruled over by the Asano clan for over 250 years. It is said that the city’s tradition of crafting beautifully ornate wooden Buddhist altars (butsudan) emerged under the first daimyo of this line, Asano Nagaakira. When he became ruler of Hiroshima in 1619, Nagaakira was accompanied by expert craftsmen who set the stage for a unique artisanal legacy that would continue through four centuries and endure, through much hard work and perseverance, into the present day.

The complex process of creating butsudan traditionally involved seven steps, with each step handled in turn by specialists in each trade. These seven steps encompass the construction and carved detailing of the altar, followed by elaborate decorative processes including the application of natural lacquer, paint, gold leaf, and intricate metal fittings. Butsudan crafted in the workshops of Hiroshima can be seen in temples all around Japan as well as some private homes.

Visit a Family-Owned Workshop with Over a Hundred Years of History

When you arrive in front of the family-owned workshop Takayama Kiyoshi, you will have little doubt as to how it made its name. Rows of gilded butsudan face outward to the street, glorious and solemn in their ancient role of paying reverence to the ancestors. Specialized in the application of the natural sap known as lacquer, Takayama Kiyoshi bears the name of the current owner’s great-grandfather, who founded the workshop way back in 1913.

When current owner Naoya Takayama inherited the family business, he began to look for ways to diversify due to the decreased demand for elaborate butsudan in Japan. Using the skills he had developed working with lacquer, he began endeavoring to produce a broader range of lacquered items. A breakthrough occurred when he combined the Hiroshima technique of mixing powder made from oyster shells with lacquer with the soil from the Yamashina mountains used by Kyoto lacquerware artisans.

Before long, he was producing a broad range of beautiful lacquerware, from those pieces useful in daily life to those featured in art galleries and museums. In 2023, Takayama’s works were selected as special gifts to visiting foreign leaders for the G7 Summit held in Hiroshima. As you tour the first floor of the shop and proceed upstairs to the second floor, take your time to listen to Takayama’s stories of Hiroshima and the role that artisans like the members of his family played in its history. The second floor gallery contains many exquisite pieces of Takayama’s lacquerware art, created through hour upon hour of inspiration, experimentation, and innovation.

Experience an Up-Close Encounter with the Process of Crafting Fine Lacquerware

The main ingredient in creating lacquerware is a sap derived from the urushi tree, which is used to coat various materials such as wood, metal, and pottery. Not only does this lacquer coating make the material waterproof and more durable, but it opens up a broad range of creative possibilities when mixed with substances like gold, iron, or charcoal powder. Takayama has even experimented with applying lacquer to cloth to create items that are extraordinarily light.

To help you appreciate the work involved in creating lacquerware, Takayama will take you to the third floor of his shop to demonstrate the process of applying lacquer. With his guidance, you will experience kneading the putty made from urushi sap and other substances that is used to form a base layer before further coats of lacquer are applied. He will also explain the steps of layering, drying, and polishing, along with the other finishing techniques required before arriving at the final finished form.

Following this demonstration, return to the second floor with Takayama for a relaxing cup of tea. This is the perfect time for a casual chat and to ask him further questions about his workshop and his profession. He will also present you with a lovely memento of your time in Hiroshima—an elegant sake cup coated in beautiful urushi lacquer.

Enjoy Dinner at a Restaurant Serving Meals Based on Local Ingredients Using Takayama Kiyoshi Lacquerware

Following your visit to Takayama Kiyoshi, take a nice evening stroll to the nearby restaurant MURO, which takes about ten minutes. Cast in a stylish modern space with a counter centered around an open kitchen, MURO nevertheless retains the genuine ambience of a local neighborhood restaurant. After you arrive, take your seat at the counter to observe the culinary magic unfolding before your eyes. The owner will also take time to speak with you about the local ingredients included in your meal as well as the ways that using Takayama Kiyoshi lacquered tableware will add to the experience.

MURO’s primary focus is on high-quality local ingredients from around Hiroshima Prefecture, including its legendary oysters, which are delicious served raw. Highly-prized Hiba wagyu beef is another highlight on their menu, known for its rich flavor and extraordinary tenderness. As well as its delicious food, one of the best things about MURO is the chance to dine on lacquerware dishes from Takayama Kiyoshi. You can also use your brand-new very own sake cup to sip specially-paired local sake while you dine. Non-alcoholic beverages are also available.

Discover Another Side to Hiroshima

The name Hiroshima carries meaning across our world based on a single day in the city’s history: August 6, 1945. While the memory of the atomic bomb dropped that day and its effect upon the people there must never be forgotten, it is a mistake to believe that it is the only thing that defines Hiroshima. This is a place with centuries of fascinating history, before and after the bomb, a history shaped by the ingenuity and imagination of its people.

Your visit to Takayama Kiyoshi and your dinner at MURO will give you a real glimpse into that other side of Hiroshima, one filled with a quiet pride in the survival of traditional arts like lacquerware and the wonderful local food based on the bounty of the surrounding lands and the Seto Inland Sea. You will leave the city feeling richer for the experience.