Kintsugi and the mending of NotoーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS

Key Concepts

• Kintsugi: The traditional Japanese art of repairing broken pottery using lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum, treating breakage and repair as part of the history of an object rather than something to disguise.
• Wajima Nuri: A highly prized, traditional Japanese lacquerware technique originating from Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, known for its durability and intricate craftsmanship.
• Suzu-yaki: A traditional, unglazed stoneware pottery style native to the Suzu region of the Noto Peninsula.
• Resilience/Recovery: The metaphorical application of Kintsugi to human trauma and community rebuilding following the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake.

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1. The Impact of the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake

On January 1, 2024, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, a region globally recognized for its deep-rooted pottery and lacquerware traditions. The disaster caused widespread destruction, demolishing numerous artisan workshops and shattering irreplaceable collections. For many artisans, the loss was not just professional but personal, as workshops often doubled as family homes. The displacement led to a fragmentation of the artisan community, with many practitioners forced to relocate or abandon their craft entirely.

2. The Kintsugi Recovery Project

Social entrepreneur Junichi Okuyama initiated a project to resurrect the region's damaged ceramics. The project evolved from simple repair work into a creative endeavor that fuses shards from different vessels and distinct ceramic styles (e.g., combining Wajima Nuri techniques with Suzu-yaki fragments).

• Methodology:
  1. Collection: Artisans travel to disaster-stricken sites to recover ceramic fragments from the rubble.
  2. Preparation: Edges of broken pieces are treated with lacquer.
  3. Joining: Fragments from different vessels are fused together, creating unique, hybrid pieces.
  4. Finishing: Seams are highlighted with gold or silver dust, emphasizing the "scars" of the object.
• Technical Challenge: Because the fragments come from different sources, they possess varying surface textures, colors, and materials. This requires artisans to move beyond traditional methods and develop new, experimental approaches to ensure structural integrity and aesthetic harmony.

3. Artisan Perspectives and Human Connection

The project serves as a bridge between displaced artisans, such as Keisuke Hidenobu (a Wajima Nuri specialist) and Shimizu Takenori (a Suzu-yaki artisan).

• Keisuke Hidenobu’s Experience: After losing his home and workshop in Wajima, Keisuke felt like a "shard of pottery" himself. His involvement in the project provided a sense of purpose, allowing him to mend his own emotional state through the act of mending physical objects.
• Shimizu Takenori’s Resilience: Despite losing his collection, Shimizu has begun firing new pieces for the first time since the disaster, signaling a transition from mourning the past to building a future.

4. Philosophical and Cultural Significance

The project transcends mere restoration; it has become a symbol of communal healing. By exhibiting these pieces in international venues like a contemporary art festival in New York, the project frames the Noto earthquake not just as a tragedy, but as a catalyst for a new cultural movement.

• Key Quote (Junichi Okuyama): "We all carry wounds inside us. And we all go through challenging times. In those moments, we make feel like fragments ourselves. But if we really are fragments, we can connect."
• Metaphorical Application: The project encourages observers to view Kintsugi as a metaphor for human resilience—suggesting that individuals, like broken pottery, can be "repaired" through connection and that their "scars" add value and beauty to their identity.

5. Synthesis and Takeaways

The Kintsugi project in the Noto Peninsula demonstrates how traditional craftsmanship can be adapted to address modern crises. By transforming the physical debris of a natural disaster into high-art, the artisans are:

1. Preserving Tradition: Keeping Wajima Nuri and Suzu-yaki techniques alive despite the destruction of infrastructure.
2. Fostering Community: Reconnecting artisans who were isolated by the earthquake.
3. Creating New Value: Proving that the fusion of disparate, broken elements can result in something more profound and unique than the original, intact objects.

The ultimate goal is to carry this movement forward to the next generation, ensuring that the "culture of repair" becomes a lasting legacy of the region's recovery.