ABOUT LACQUER

The Lacquer Tree

For lacquer ware and lacquer art in Japan, this 'urushi' tree is a must. If we speak in terms of tree species, it is a twin tree of the angiosperm and belongs to the lacquer tree family. There are over 70 types belonging to this group and there are said to be over 600 types in existence, the largest portion of which is in East Asia.

The lacquer tree is 10 metres in height, 40 centimetres in circumference and is a deciduous tree whose new foliage appears in April or May. Its blossoms are anemophilous and its small, highly fragrant yellow flowers appear from May to June in dense clusters.

In outlying areas or mountains, the same varieties of haji lacquer, yamahaze lacquer , yama lacquer and tsuta lacquer trees display beautiful burnished colors in autumn.　On make a scraping in the bark, it is possible to extract lacquer sap and it is also said that the lacquer tree cultivated in Japan is of high quality and if not used in makie, kinma and other lacquer ware varieties quality pieces will not emerge.

JAPANESE LACQUER TREE DISTRIBUTION

The lacquer trees produced in Japan are cultivated from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the South. In olden times, they were also grown on Okinawa with areas of cultivation widespread throughout Japan and these varieties belonged to the tropical zone.

From ancient times, the Yoshino lacquer tree was famous for its good quality but nowadays , it is extinct and the Tohoku area has become the main production region.

CHINESE LACQUER TREE CULTIVATION REGIONS
The Chinese production of the lacquer plant is produced in the mountainous regions of Shandi and Fukien province and mountainous areas in Kiangsi and Hunan are also areas of production. Other important cultivation regions include the mountain areas of Hupei, Sichuan, Shianxi , Hunan and Kueichou provinces. The lacquer products which come from these mountain areas bear the names of the tree areas and become brand names sent to markets.

VIETNAMESE LACQUER PRODUCTION
Vietnamese production includes Tonkin and Anman lacquerware of the northern　Vietnam regions. At the center of the Tonkin region are the tropical regions of Phu Tho, Shanxi and Yiguang and pieces also bear the manufacturing area names in the same way as Chinese lacquer ware.

THE GATHERING OF LACQUER

When extracting sap from the lacquer plant, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese lacquer can be distinguished according to the way the liquid is extracted from the cut areas of the tree. For example in Japan, during the annual extraction season there is a method where cuts are made in the entire trunk and another method where sap is extracted at 2 or 3 time intervals.

The former is called the 'Total Cutting Method' while the latter is the 'Nurturing Cutting Method' and both methods have advantages and disadvantages with the former technique being used in Japan.

When it reaches June, the lacquer tree becomes entirely covered in foliage and buds start to grow on the branches. After the appearance of the thick leaves, extraction and gathering of the sap takes place. The period for sap gathering is from around June to November.

UNTIL THE LACQUER INGREDIENT STAGE

When the trunk or the branches of a lacquer tree have incisions made the tree tries to close up the wound itself and when the lacquer bursts out , on contact with oxygen it undergoes a change and this acts as a natural kind of plaster. By making the most of the lacquer's special characteristic, cuts are made into the lacquer tree and the sap is gathered and refined as lacquer ingredient.

The liquid gathered from the tree in its natural state is called ARAMI and this liquid with its impurities in the liquid form is called raw lacquer. While using the heat of the sun or coal fire, the moisture evaporates and while slowly continuing to mix this at the next stage, the lustre appears and reaches a candy colored, half transparent oil constituency. When the required thickness is achieved it can be applied to the surface.

This kind of processed, transparent lacquer is called 'kijiroshitsu'lacquer.

THE SPECIAL CHARACTER OF LACQUER TREES

Among the natural ingredients of natural paints, the outstanding ingredient is the lacquer. About 80% of the content of lacquer is what is called 'urushiol' whose special way of drying plays a major role in the coating process after the lacquer has dried and it is also a major reason behind rashes.

Generally speaking, lacquer dries the most readily in the rainy season, and from November to March , its drying process is at its worst. When we speaking of 'drying' related to lacquer, we associate it with lacquer absorbing large amounts of oxygen and according to this oxidation process it hardens from its liquid state. In other words, it is completely different from the process by where laundry, on contact with the sun's rays, release water.

When a suitable amount of heat is supplied, the moisture is released through vaporisation, and the oxygen inside is fed to the lacquer which aids the oxidation and quickens the hardening of the lacquer.

This mysterious way of drying that lacquer has is used in a variety of ways in lacquer art. In addition, once lacquer has hardened, it becomes extremely strong and can not be easily melted.

Once hardened, lacquer can not be melted by alkali, acid, salt, water, heat, electricity. Hydrochloric acid however easily dissolves glass and earthenware. If struck by ultraviolet rays, they become weakened in resistant strength as with other paints.

LACQUER ADHESION STRENGTH

Lacquer possesses outstanding adhesive strength. In the crevices of earthenware barley lacquer is used for adhesive and in the case of chinaware, the small portion of glue holds lacquer adhesive.

Lacquer is also used for dying as in joining threads together strongly between pattern designs for kimonos like 'komon' or 'yukata'.

RASHES BROUGHT ABOUT BY LACQUER

The main ingredient in lacquer, urushiol contains poison. This urushiol, while not in a perfectly dry state releases poison while depending on the individual's body type can induce dermatitis. If the lacquer is completely dry, no matter how susceptible the person is to rashes, even if he touches the lacquer, rashes will not result.

Even if the lacquer feels dry on the surface when touched by hand, from within the urushiol poison can be emiited into the air drifting and on entering the stomata, will become the reason behind rashes.

However, in the case of rashes, without using medicines indicrimanitely, even if you don't apply medicine, providing you keep the area clean, it should heal within about a week.