Visuals are Tsugarunuri's most impressive feature. Special technique Togidashi-kawari-nuri enables patterns to have depth of colors and layered patterns. The patterns and colors are unpredictable because they are revealed only after polishing. Different patterns and colors make different light reflections. It is attractive that each Tsugaru-nuri is one of a kind. People feel Tsugaru-nuri not only visually but also with a unique texture. Nanakonuri, in particular, has many tiny dot patterns that give users textile joy.

Also, at least 40 hand processes and several months are needed to make one craft (Aomori Lacquerware Cooperative Federation, 2025). Therefore, it can not be produced in quantities and has a precious value for each craft. 

Detailed and specialized techniques ensure the strength of Tsugaru-nuri. If people properly use chopsticks made with Tsugaru-nuri, they will be durable for more than 10 years (Matsuzawa, 2023). Additionally, lacquer has strong antibacterial properties, which have been proven scientifically. One study showed that the number of bacteria decreased when it was on lacquerware. Lacquerware is made from entirely natural materials, including no additives, so it’s suitable for dishes that our mouths touch directly (Matsuzawa, 2023). Ultimately, Tsugaru-nuri is valued as a traditional craft not only for its authentic aspects but also for its practical and sanitary aspects.

To Know More

Below, I describe the voice of Tsugumichi Matsuyama, a craftsman at the Matsuyama lacquerware studio. I inserted the YouTube video in the right section, so please watch to know more about him.

“I had not thought I would become a craftsman of Tsugarunuri like my father, since it seemed a quiet and plain job. However, when I got my driver's licence in high school, my father said that he would give me a car, but I would work at my father’s craft studio. This started my life as a craftsman. Now I think this job is the most suitable. 

Tsugaru-nuri is very complicated. I have to paint lacquerware again and again in layers, and adjust the technique along with seasons, humidity, and softness of the seeds. There is no straight way, but I obtain a sense through repetition. 

Currently, children are told to do things efficiently, and mass production has invaded traditional craftworks. But I would like to continue making 'beautiful things people can use as daily tools'” (Nippon Teshigoto Zukan Corporation, 2017).