Discover the Japanese Spirit of “Beauty in Imperfection” through Modern Kintsugi in Tokyo

Experience Japanese Culture in an Elegant Space off Tokyo Station

This experience is conducted at the Otonami Lounge Tokyo within Daimaru’s Tokyo store directly off Tokyo Station, opened in the spring of 2025. The lounge is organized around the principle of “adult learning for lifestyle enrichment,” offering casual instructional courses to connect visitors with the charms of Japan’s culture in a beautifully-appointed space.

A space that calms the heart

Here, visitors can learn all about the art of kintsugi ceramic repair and the spiritual culture that underpins it from its leading expert, Kenyu Mitsuhashi or instructors who apprenticed under him. Your instructors are also deeply knowledgeable about other traditional Japanese cultural assets like tea ceremony and kimono culture – providing a window into the beauty of Japan’s culture from a variety of angles.

Empty Your Mind and Let Go of Day-to-Day Concerns to Simply Create

The concept of an “empty mind” is central to creativity and craftsmanship in Japanese culture. In order to foster this, a short meditation session precedes this kintsugi experience. “Meditation” can often conjure images of assuming the lotus position on the floor, but there actually a great many different approaches. Here, meditation is conducted seated in a chair.

Seating position aside, meditation is all about focusing on breathing and calming the mind. Free yourself from workaday concerns and find presence in the moment before beginning.

Learn from experts in various facets of Japanese traditional culture (specific instructor varies with the day)

Mitsuhashi, who personally trained all of the experience instructors, was born to a family of Buddhist sculptors with eight centuries of history. He carries on the aesthetic of Zen to the present day in the art of Kamakura-bori woodcarvings, Buddhist altar implements, and tea ceremony utensils. He is also an expert in kintsugi, and in 2022 trademarked “aotsugi,” a new twist on kintsugi using blue pigment in place of gold.

Kintsugi as an Embodiment of Wabi-sabi

Kintsugi is the traditional Japanese art of repairing damaged ceramics using lacquer and decorative metallic powder. It is believed to have begun in the 15th century, used mainly to repair dishes used in tea ceremony, imbuing the broken with new life and giving them new value. Kintsugi Seiryu has a collection of dishes broken in shops that would have otherwise been discarded. But by giving them a second life, they are also given a new beauty.

Take in a talk on Kintsugi and its methods

Kintsugi in recent years has gained popularity across Japan and beyond as an art form embodying the spirit of wabi-sabi, finding beauty and value in imperfection. This is a spirit of seeing damage not as something to hide or disguise, but as something to accentuate and honor as having a beauty all its own. This gives kintsugi a deeper philosophy that goes far beyond a simple repair technique.

Highlighting the cracks and chips with adornment creates a new beauty

Giving the Broken a New Life

After learning about the history and spirit of kintsugi, it’s time to try it with your own hand. This experience uses a simplified modernized kintsugi technique working off of a base of synthetic adhesive instead of natural lacquer. The traditional kintsugi process typically takes some 2-3 months to complete, but this modern innovation allows you to take your repaired piece home with you on the day.

Fitting the cracks together perfectly along their seams is key as you firmly reattach them

Next, brass powder is applied to the synthetic resin (“shin urushi,” literally “new lacquer”) using a brush. The sumptuous moment where the rich metallic color of the powder bonds to the joined seams is moving and beautiful, as the new life of a broken vessel takes shape.

Gently swirl the cotton ball against the surface to work in the metallic powder

Finally, blend the applied brass powder in using gentle circles with cotton wool. When this is done, you can pack it for transport home, where it should be given a day to dry before being gently washed clean before use. You’ve probably never felt attachment to a dish like you’ll feel to a piece on which you’ve performed kintsugi with your own hand. As an option, you can also try aotsugi – using blue pigment in place of brass powder.

Using vibrant blue pigment in place of gold – something you can only do here

Mindful Mending and the Beauty of Breakage

The instructors speak the teachings of kintsugi: “Damage is okay. If you fix what is broken, it becomes even more beautiful than it was before. Truly understanding this concept can be life-changing.” The time you spend free of workaday worries, facing your broken ceramics with a clear mind and heart will surely live with you afterward as an unforgettable moment in your travels.

A plate brought back to life