Oita Urushi Collection
Art of Charcoal Urushi
Made in Oita & To the World
You Know Wajima, And You Know Echizen But....
Have You Heard of Oita?
Famed as Japan’s number one hot spring destination, Oita is celebrated for its rising steam, dramatic natural scenery, and deep historical roots in Japanese culture and sacred art. Yet, it has never traditionally been known as a center of urushi craftsmanship.
That is, until one master artisan chose to make Oita her home.
Bringing with her years of refined urushi training and classical techniques, she began merging her inherited knowledge with new experimentation inspired by Oita’s volcanic earth, charcoal tones, mineral textures, and spiritual landscapes. From this fusion, a new urushi expression was born — one shaped by steam, stone, shadow, and light.
Meet our local artisan behind the Charcoal Urushi.
Hear her story. Witness her craft. Experience Oita through lacquer.
Meet master
Onimaru Mayumi 鬼丸真由美
Born and raised in Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture, she grew up under the guidance of her father, a master of Tsugaru-nuri urushi lacquer. Beginning in her twenties, she learned the region’s traditional lacquer techniques directly from him, mastering the craft through years of hands-on practice.
After marriage, she relocated to her husband’s hometown of Oita, where she began developing her own original style—rooted in Tsugaru-nuri yet enriched by other traditional techniques to form a distinctive personal expression.
One key method she employs is the Charcoal Technique, a foundational urushi process in which charcoal powder is sprinkled onto a lacquered surface. The surface is then carefully sanded to reveal underlying layers of color and texture.
For this collection, she places greater emphasis on the charcoal’s textured patterns rather than deep multilayer exposure, creating a refined, tactile finish that is further enhanced with raden inlay.
History of Using
Charcoal For Urushi
Charcoal in Urushi
Charcoal as Identity: Master Onimaru’s Revolutionary Urushi Expression
The use of shredded or powdered charcoal in Japanese urushi craftsmanship began as a practical material for polishing and surface preparation, dating back to early lacquer traditions. Over time, artisans discovered that when charcoal particles were intentionally embedded into wet urushi and later sanded, they revealed subtle textures and layered depth. By the Edo period, this technique had evolved into a deliberate aesthetic approach, especially in durable regional styles such as Tsugaru-nuri, where charcoal enhanced both strength and visual complexity.
For many urushi masters, charcoal serves merely as a foundational material — a subtle base layer beneath the lacquer, unseen and understated.
Yet Master Onimaru reimagines its role entirely.
Rather than concealing charcoal beneath layers of refinement, she elevates it to prominence — drawing forth its raw texture, organic depth, and quiet intensity. Through her meticulous hand-lacquering process, the natural grain, matte richness, and tactile character of charcoal are not subdued, but celebrated.
In her hands, charcoal is no longer a supporting element.
It becomes the voice of the piece — expressive, textural, and profoundly alive.
This is not charcoal as a foundation.
This is charcoal as identity.
Limited Edition 1 of 1
炭 Sumi-Raden Collection
炭（すみ）— “Charcoal”
“Charcoal” is a Limited Edition, one-of-one masterpiece handcrafted by Master Urushi artisan Onimaru Mayumi.
This singular creation highlights four of her distinctive reinterpretations of traditional Tsugaru-nuri urushi techniques, uniquely expressed through the use of natural charcoal powder layered into hand-applied lacquer. The result is a deep, organic black texture with remarkable depth and subtle movement beneath the surface.
Complementing the charcoal urushi base, genuine mother-of-pearl raden is meticulously set as the hour indices, offering an iridescent contrast that shimmers against the profound darkness of the dial.
A true fusion of texture and light — this piece stands as a rare artistic expression, where heritage craftsmanship meets contemporary interpretation.
