Kinsai
About Company
The warmth of wood and lacquer, at your table.
Founded in 1902 in Yamanaka Onsen, Ishikawa, Kinsai Ltd. creates lacquerware that brings out the character of its materials and feels natural to use. Working with local woodturners and lacquer artisans, the company develops tableware for everyday life and offers repairs to help favorite pieces remain in use for years to come.
Three generations of lacquerware in Yamanaka Onsen
Kinsai began with a craftsman specializing in the final coats of lacquer. Now in its third generation, the business draws on its experience creating tableware for restaurants to make pieces equally at home on the everyday dining table.
Its collections build on Yamanaka’s woodturning and lacquering traditions, offering thoughtfully made pieces for daily use and gifts.
Wood grain, texture, and the feel of a vessel
Kinsai’s approach brings together techniques such as decorative turning, which cuts fine grooves and patterns into wood, and fuki-urushi, a finish built up by repeatedly applying lacquer and wiping away the excess. These methods allow the wood’s grain and texture to remain part of the finished piece.
Keyaki Hatsuri-Suji Bowls
Made from Japanese zelkova, this collection uses skilled lathe work to create irregular grooves with the character of hand-carved wood. The range includes soup bowls, rice bowls, and larger donburi bowls.
Chestnut Lacquerware and Wagata Trays
The gallery also presents chestnut lacquerware, Wagata trays, and one-of-a-kind pieces, giving visitors the opportunity to compare materials, forms, and finishes in person.
Osamu Wada, the third-generation Kinsai
President Osamu Wada carries on the family business under the name Kinsai Wada III, bringing the skills of Yamanaka’s artisans into tableware for contemporary life.
His official biography lists the Grand Prize at the 1997 Tableware Festival, followed in 2001 by the festival’s top prize and an award from the Director-General of the Manufacturing Industries Bureau at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Creating, repairing, and keeping pieces in use
Alongside product development, production, and sales, Kinsai offers repairs for wooden vessels finished with natural urushi lacquer, as well as kintsugi repairs for ceramics. Each repair is assessed according to the piece’s materials and condition.
The company also develops original products for business partners. In 2024, it announced a project involving Wajima-made chopsticks for the JAL and JTA group as part of efforts to support recovery from the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
Discover Kinsai in Yamanaka Onsen
The Kinsai gallery presents everyday tableware alongside one-of-a-kind pieces. Visitors can explore the grain and weight of the wood, examine the lacquer finish, and find something to take home or give as a gift.
Open weekdays, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Visits on weekends and public holidays are by appointment. Please check the official website for current visitor information and displays.
Brand and product features
Kinsai Creative Lacquerware
Japanese department store Daiwa introduces Kinsai’s approach to lacquerware, highlighting the woodturning and wiped-lacquer techniques used in its tableware. The profile includes photographs of the craft and selected products.
Read the brand profile (Japanese) →Keyaki Hatsuri-Suji Soup Bowl
The Ishikawa Sunrise Industries Creation Organization (ISICO) features Kinsai’s Japanese zelkova soup bowl in its product catalog. The entry explains how skilled lathe work creates its distinctive irregular grooves and provides product specifications.
View the product feature (Japanese) →Company information
| Company | Kinsai Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Brand | Kinsai Creative Lacquerware |
| President | Osamu Wada (Kinsai Wada III) |
| Founded | 1902 |
| Address | I-207-1, Yamanakaonsen Tsukatanimachi, Kaga, Ishikawa 922-0111, Japan |
| Services | Lacquerware design, production, and sales; lacquerware repair; kintsugi repair for ceramics |
| Website & social |
