negoro 根来

Negoro is a lacquerware technique in which red lacquer (shu-urushi) is applied over a black lacquer ground. As the piece is used over many years, the red surface gradually wears through to reveal the black beneath, and this patina of aging is prized as the essence of negoro.

With use, the red surface gradually reveals the black lacquer underneath, giving the piece an added vintage appearance over time.