Lacquerware, made for you.

The lacquer style known as Edo Lacquerware is one fit for tough environments. For use in takeaway sushi, or soba noodle shops. At restaurants it is touched by many hands, in kitchens it is washed again and again. To survive these circumstances Edo Lacquerware has many coats of its material applied at its base. Mitsuo Kaku of the Kaku lacquer works had his first encounter with Edo Lacquerware aged 16. His sister had married into the family of the Kato lacquer works in a downtown district of Tokyo. Visiting from his native Fukui at the end of one year to help out at the works, Kaku’s first impression was the smell. The distinctive aroma of lacquer imprinted itself on his memory. Now wanting to work in the trade, he persuaded his parents, and moved to Tokyo for good aged 19. From here he began to live at the Kato workshop, and train full time. Within the daily business of the works, there included commissions in repair and other new tasks. His knowledge of lacquer increased, as did his understanding of the customer’s needs. After leaving to establish his own workshop, this appreciation of customer demands led him to focus on making “something there is only one of in the world”. In Kaku’s workshop lacquer in different colours spreads out like a flowerbed. With the numerous tools at his disposal, this lacquer transforms according to styles such as Negoro and Tsugaru-nuri. With each pattern unique, the items that Kaku makes are adapted to “you, the customer”.

Kaku Shikko
4-6-10 Nishiogu, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo 116-0011
TEL +81-(0)3-3893-0839
Mitsuo Kaku