Ise Shunkeiya

This studio makes Ise Shunkei lacquerware, a local traditional craft whose origins extend back to the Muromachi period. Operating out of a traditional townhome adjoining the Museum of Ise Kawasaki Merchants, the studio makes and sells this variety of lacquerware designed for everyday use which reached its peak between the Edo and early Showa periods. Made by applying red shuai lacquer or shunkei lacquer colored with red food coloring or iron oxide to hinoki cypress, Ise Shunkei lacquerware is characterized by its outstanding texture which emphasizes the beauty of the woodgrain. Visitors can also watch as artisans make use of skills accumulated over long years produce lacquerware in the studio area. The studio's lacquered trays and boxes are simple in design yet exude a warmth and richness, and have recently gained attention as items which also fit in perfectly with a modern lifestyle.