Founded in 1978, carrying Takaoka's traditional maki-e craftsmanship into the present

Shitsugei Yoshikawa

Shitsugei Yoshikawa was founded in 1978 in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture. For three generations, the family has worked in lacquer art with a particular focus on maki-e. The grandfather was involved in the lacquer trade and lacquerwork, while the father returned to Takaoka after painting kimono in Kyoto and pursued maki-e. The current artisan began learning the craft after encountering the tools and materials left in his father's workshop, determined to carry the inherited techniques and culture into the future.

The studio is committed to using genuine urushi lacquer and genuine gold powder rather than substitute coatings. Each work is carefully finished to bring out the beauty of the materials and the delicate expression possible through handwork.

One of the studio's distinctive techniques is eggshell decoration using quail eggshell. Traditional methods are applied in a workshop capable of handling the full process, from preparation and lacquer coating through final decoration.

Rather than preserving tradition unchanged, Shitsugei Yoshikawa seeks new forms of lacquer art that harmonize with contemporary life and spaces. Through the depth that urushi develops over time and the possibilities of Takaoka maki-e, the studio works to carry this craftsmanship into the next generation.