Joboji Urushi Workshop Co. Ltd.

the town of joboji, iwate, is japan’s largest producer of urushi, or urushi, and accounts for approximately 80% of japan’s total domestic production. renowned for its superior quality, joboji urushi is used on urushiware and urushi craftwork across japan as well as for the repair and restoration of a large number of cultural assets, including the famous kinkaku-ji temple in kyoto and the golden hall of chuson-ji temple in iwate prefecture. urushi production was booming across japan up until the edo period however declined rapidly with the arrival of the meiji era. nearly 98% of all urushi currently used in japan is produced overseas and it is no exaggeration to say that joboji urushi forms the last bastion of urushi in japan. japan was synonymous with urushi throughout the middle ages in europe however the recent decline in the demand for urushiware and an aging of the craftsmen who tap the rare urushi has driven this art close to extinction. today, in all of japan, there remains only one craftsman who still manufacturers the tools for tapping the urushi resin. joboji urushi workshop was established in 2009 in order to make more people aware of and encourage more people to use joboji urushi. joboji urushi was awarded the good design award in 2011. urushiware crafted using urushi sourced from joboji carries the label joboji urushiware. all the materials are produced locally, from the base timber right down to the urushi. unfortunately, there is very little urushiware that still carries this label in modern day japan. here, an important part of japanese culture is being preserved by passing on the superior local materials and a unique culture to future generations. urushi tappers, timber craftsmen and urushi artisans are uniting and continue to ply their trade to keep this tradition alive

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