Yamanaka Tatekidome
Yamanaka Tatekidome (山中縦木留め) is a wood-grain orientation and finishing method associated with the lacquerware tradition of Yamanaka Lacquerware in Ishikawa Prefecture, located in the Hokuriku region of Japan. The technique emphasizes the use of vertically aligned wood grain (縦木取り, tategidori), which contributes to the structural stability and visual clarity of the finished lacquerware. It is practiced primarily by woodturning specialists (木地師, kijishi) responsible for forming the wooden substrates before lacquering.
Historical Development
The orientation of wood grain in vessel construction has long been significant in Japanese lacquerware. In Yamanaka, this approach was refined during the Muromachi and Edo periods as part of the broader workshop system that developed around lathe-based woodturning. Artisans in Yamanaka Onsen emphasized vertical grain both to improve durability and to enhance the refined surface effects achieved during the finishing stages of lacquer application.
Professional documentation from the Edo period onward records the consistent practice of grain orientation as a defining element of Yamanaka production. The technique continues to be taught through apprenticeship training within the lacquerware sector.
Materials
Yamanaka Tatekidome is applied to hardwoods typically used in Yamanaka lacquerware, including:
- Japanese zelkova (keyaki)
- Japanese cypress (hinoki)
- Japanese cherry (yamazakura)
The effectiveness of the technique depends on the precision of log sectioning and the careful drying of timber to ensure internal stability before shaping.
Technique
The method involves:
- Selection of wood stock: Logs are chosen for consistent grain structure and minimal internal stress.
- Vertical grain orientation (縦木取り): The wood is cut so fibers run perpendicular to the vessel’s circumference.
- Lathe turning (挽き物, hikimono): The substrate is shaped while maintaining grain continuity across the form.
- Surface smoothing: Tool marks are refined to prepare the substrate for lacquer application.
This grain alignment reduces the likelihood of warping during lacquer curing and results in a visually coherent grain pattern that remains subtly perceptible through translucent finishing layers such as suri-urushi.
Production Context
Yamanaka Tatekidome is employed by woodturning specialists before the work is transferred to lacquer application workshops. It is closely connected to the broader technical identity of Yamanaka Lacquerware, which values wood refinement as an aesthetic principle in itself.
Regional Context
The technique developed in the workshop environment of Yamanaka Onsen, where woodturning lineages historically concentrated. Geographic access to hardwood forests reinforced the continuity of this method.
Modern Context
The practice of Yamanaka Tatekidome remains integral to contemporary Yamanaka lacquerware production. It is maintained through formal craft training programs and workshop-based apprenticeship systems, and continues to define the technical character of Yamanaka vessel forms.
See Also
References
- Regional workshop documentation of Yamanaka lacquer production.
- Technical literature on wood substrate preparation for lacquer crafts.
- Cultural heritage surveys of lacquerware in the Hokuriku region.
