what is kintsugi?

Kintsugi is the traditional Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics using urushi, a natural lacquer that restores, transforms, and strengthens the piece over time while protecting the ceramic with natural materials

Rather than hiding cracks, kintsugi honors them: embracing the history of the object and the beauty of imperfection.

How I do it:

I learned the traditional process here in Kyoto, in a studio where everything is done by hand: from the materials to the finish.

I use urushi, a natural lacquer, which makes the process non-toxic and ensures the piece can still be used after the repair.

Funny enough, gold is used the least. Urushi is what holds everything together.

A whole process of repairing takes around 4 months.

the process:

the process:

  • STUDY THE PIECE

  • glue with mugI

  • LET IT DRY

  • align with sabi

  • PAINT

    PAINT 4 LEYERS

  • add gold

more of kintsugi and kyoto:

 
Seeing the tools, the workshops, and occasionally catching a glimpse of someone working on a piece made this visit very memorable ♥️ It felt slower, and much more connected to the craft itself. Also, tanuki… I’m still not fully
One of the things kintsugi has taught me is the art of doing things imperfectly. Of simply doing them. Over time, I’ve realized that every time I practice kintsugi, I give myself permission to try more things without needing to know exactly ho