Japanese lacquerware, Wajima lacquerware Wajima Kirimoto

What is Wajima Kirimoto?

Wajima Kirimoto is a long-established brand of Wajima lacquerware. It has about 150 years’ history. Wajima Kirimoto inherited the tradition of Japanese lacquerware and produce daily necessities to high-quality products.
“We would like as many people to know Japanese lacquer as possible. And, we would like produce a product people can use at ease.” With this thought, they challenge to various possibilities.

Recently, Wajima Kirimoto realized the collaboration with various types of business. For example, a long-established Japanese confectionery shop “Toraya” and worldwide famous French brand “Louis Vuitton” collaborated with Wajima Kirimoto.

The Japanese lacquerware items of Wajima Kirimoto are sold at shops in Ishikawa prefecture, Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi in Tokyo, or Living Design Center OZONE in Shinjuku.

The skill and design of Wajima Kirimoto gets high reputation. In fact, their products “Lacquer card case,” “Kofukuzara series,” and “Gallery Waichi” won Good Design Award.

Better life with Wajima lacquerware

White modern tableware or European brand tableware have stylish atmosphere. However, Japanese lacquerware give us relax mood.
Lacquer is also called as “JAPAN.” Lacquerware is one of the representative Japanese traditional crafts. Among various Japanese lacquerware, Wajima lacquerware has been famous for the highest-quality daily necessities.

When you hear “Japanese lacquerware” or “traditional crafts,” you may have the image that it is beautiful but hard to use in daily life. However, lacquerware is originally one of daily necessities. Please select what you would like to use every day.

These days, we can see many lacquer brands which proposes casual and stylish lacquerware.
The more times you use, the more patronage you have towards Japanese lacquerware. How about having a step to the world of Japanese lacquer?

3 fascination of Wajima Kirimoto

1. Pursue the usability

   Wajima Kirimoto produces wooden products and Japanese lacquerware with this thought: “We would like as many people to know Japanese lacquer as possible. And, we would like produce a product people can use at ease.” Therefore, Wajima Kirimoto regards the usability as most important point. For example, craftsmen care whether it is easy to use the chopsticks, to have the bowls, or to care them.

   Wajima Kirimoto pursues the “usability” as an important factor of daily necessities. So, all the Japanese lacquerware of Wajima Kirimoto is easy to use and care.

2. Design fitting to life

   When you look for wooden products or Japanese lacquerware, you will realize that it is difficult to find the products for daily use. Most Japanese lacquerware have old-fashioned design or too luxurious decoration.

   But, the design of Wajima Kirimoto fits contemporary life style very well.
   Wajima Kirimoto is a long-established brand. It has been inherited for 3 generations. The First established the foundation of Wajima Kirimoto, and the Second broadened the business to interior. Now, the Third started the collaboration with designers and ideas of designs to propose a lifestyle with Japanese lacquerware.

3. The quality of material and great skill

   Most Japanese lacquerware of Wajima Kirimoto are made of the lumber cut down in Wajima city. To improve the quality of material, Wajima Kirimoto settle the lumber for decades. Also, they carry on research of best finishing paints for materials. Wajima Kirimoto does not hesitate to take time to pursue the quality of material.

   In addition to the quality of material, excellent skill of craftsmen is essential. Wood turning skill or beautiful finishing with plane is the unique feature of Wajima Kirimoto. That is why the Japanese lacquerware of Wajima Kirimoto have both beauty and usability.

Stylish lunch time with wooden traditional bento box

Like a lunch box served at a Japanese high-class restaurant

With bento box of Wajima Kirimoto, daily lunch time will change to the high-class lunch by Japanese restaurant.
Usual dishes look more delicious in wooden bento box.

Japanese traditional bento box has commanding presence

We seldom have time to search good bento boxes.
When you imagine Japanese traditional bento boxes, mage wappa may be come upon with your mind.
This wooden bento box has beautiful white texture of wood and detailed design.
The bento box itself is a beauty.
When you eat your lunch with this traditional bento box, you may be asked “where did you get that bento box?
The traditional bento box of Wajima Kirimoto has commanding presence.

Simple and beautiful lacquered chopsticks

These are oval lacquered chopsticks of Wajima lacquerware. At first sight, these are very simple and general chopsticks. However, the history and skill of Wajima lacquerware are filled with oval chopsticks.

1. Oval form chopsticks fits our fingers

   First, the oval form is very rare. In fact, the oval chopsticks were once extinct. To make an oval chopstick, craftsmen need time and skill. Therefore, the oval chopsticks were once extinct. However, Wajima Kirimoto revived the oval chopsticks from the demand of the trial center of Industrial Research Institute of Ishikawa.

   The oval form fits our fingers. Asian people use chopsticks every day. Daily necessities should be usable. You can use the oval lacquered chopsticks comfortably.

   

2. High antibacterial effect of lacquer

   Lacquer is a Japanese traditional material. In fact, pure 100% lacquer has great antibacterial effect.
   According to the experiment done by a university, colon bacilli on the lacquerware were almost extinct within 24 hours.

   For small children to elders, all generations can use the lacquered chopsticks at ease.

History of awards and media coverage of Wajima Kirimoto

History of awards

• 2007 : Good Design Award, Product Design category “lacquer card case”
• 2006 : Good Design Award, Product Design category “Kofukuzara series”
• 2003 : Ishikawa TOYP Award
• 2001 : Ishikawa Design Award
• 2000 : Good Design Award New Category Design category “Gallery Waichi”

Media coverage

• 2013.06 : “nid vol. 27” New form of tradition
• 2013.06 : “Kin-toku NHK Nagoya”
• 2013.03 : “Safari April”
• 2013.03 : “ELLE a table” BENTO BOX
• 2013.02 : “STORY” Spoon (A journey to buy ‘kawaii’ in NIPPON)
• 2013.01 : “Croissant” Makiji Card case (Beautiful Japanese handwork)
• 2012.12 : “CREA” Gifts bible
• 2012.10 : “Standard items on dinner table 365” Coffe cup (Standard and loving items on dinner table catalogue TABELE WEAR)
• 2012.07 : “Sarai” Relax with Japanese furniture
• 2012.03 : “Dan Rei’s Japanese beautiful things to preserve now”