THE FORMOSANS > WAKASA-NURI

In fukui prefecture of Japan, Wakasa-nuri employs additional materials such as very fine size eggshells, seashells or pine leaves. The Urushi is then applied onto the surface of the objects, as are gold flakes. The surface is then burnished. The patterns are significantly more colorful than Tsugaru-nuri.

The popular Wakasa-nuri is performed by Minchi, the brothers. Taiwan has to import high quality Urushi from Japan because they lack of facilities to refine crude Urushi into different quality of Urushi for different usages, and it is even harder for them to buy the different sizes of gold and gold mixed with silver powders as they have to import 100% from Japan. And the hardest of all is buying] the special brushes from Japan. All these disadvantages cost them in Taiwan 2-3 times as much as the Maki-e artists have to pay in Japan. And yet, that their work is very good and prices are not higher than that in Japan convinces me that they have their own bright future if they continue to work hard.

WAMC-2E (on Mikado eye dropper pens)

WAMC-10 (on Densho eye dropper pens)

WAMC-5 (on Takumi cartridge/converter pens)