From Overlooked Vessels in 2020 to a Studio of Six Urushi Artists Today
How The Kintsugi Labo JAPAN Began
In Japan, large numbers of valuable ceramic vessels are quietly discarded each year — pieces with cracks or production flaws, or vessels left behind when their owners pass on. We launched Kintsugi Labo JAPAN in 2020 with a single hope: to revive these vessels, and the time and intention of the craftsmen who first made them, through the ancient Japanese practice of kintsugi.
The decision to sell internationally came from a designer friend, who told us that collectors abroad had long been asking where in Japan they could find authentic kintsugi. Within Japan, kintsugi exists mostly as a private restoration service or as a school subject — finished pieces rarely reach the open market. We built this cross-border studio to change that.
Today, six urushi artists work with us, each from their own studio across Shiga and Kyoto. Among them are nationally certified traditional craftsmen recognized by the Japanese government, artisans who restore Buddhist altars and the lacquerwork of temples and shrines, and graduates of Kyoto City University of Arts whose contemporary lacquer works appear in galleries and exhibitions. All bring their craft to kintsugi alongside their own practices.
The studio began with one artist in 2020 — four more joined in 2025, and a sixth in 2026.
Since launching in 2020, we have collected over 300 broken vessels from across Japan, restored them through urushi lacquer, and reached our 200th sale in March 2026 — with pieces now in the hands of collectors across more than 15 countries.
Three Principles We Keep
What Makes The Kintsugi Labo JAPAN Different
Restored by Six Japanese Urushi Specialists
Every piece is restored entirely in Japan, by hand. Among our six urushi artists are nationally certified traditional craftsmen, artisans devoted to Buddhist altar and temple lacquerwork, and graduates of Kyoto City University of Arts working at the contemporary edge of urushi lacquer art. Each restoration is built layer by layer in natural urushi and hand-polished using techniques refined over centuries.
Beyond the Gold Line — Kintsugi as Urushi Art
Most kintsugi pieces feature a 24K gold seam. Select works in our collection go further. In response to each vessel’s character, our urushi artists extend the restoration using time-honored techniques such as raden (mother-of-pearl inlay), urushi-e (lacquer painting), and kawarinuri (patterned lacquer). Restoration becomes a continuation of the piece’s story, resulting in Adorned Kintsugi—both a restored vessel and a work of urushi art
Ethically Sourced, Food-Safe Restoration
We never break a brand-new vessel to create kintsugi. Each ceramic piece is collected from potters, wholesalers, and antique shops across Japan. These pieces already bear a crack or production flaw. They are then restored using only natural urushi and food-safe materials. The result is a piece that unites beauty, ethics, and quality — one that you can display, gift, or use without concern.
Our Business Model
From Artist to Collector, Without Wholesalers in Between
Each kintsugi piece moves along a single line — from the artist who restored it, through the studio that curates the work, to the collector who receives it.
01 Context The Conventional Path
In Japan's traditional craft industry, finished works typically pass through multiple wholesalers before reaching consumers. Artists are paid only for their labor, often receiving as little as 10% of the final retail price. For kintsugi — a craft requiring months of skilled work — this structure has long driven up costs to the point of hindering circulation. It is one reason kintsugi is rarely sold as art in Japan.
Many younger artists balance gallery exhibitions and personal creative work with other jobs to build their careers. Unlike in Western Europe, Japan lacks significant public funding for the arts, leaving their professional foundation precarious.
02 Approach The Direct Path
The structure here is different. Each of our six urushi artists receives a share of the sales value, alongside a labor fee, at the moment they complete a piece. Through this direct, full-volume buyout system, established craftsmen receive compensation that reflects their decades of skill, and younger artists are given a sustainable foundation.
03 Outcome The Path of Each Purchase
By selling directly across borders, we maintain fair prices for everyone involved — honoring the artists who shape each piece, and offering collectors a transparent path to authentic Japanese kintsugi.
The People Behind The Kintsugi Labo JAPAN
The Team
Each kintsugi piece is restored entirely by hand. We work with urushi artists from studios across Kyoto and Shiga.
Among them are an artisan with over forty years of experience working with urushi, a nationally certified Master of Traditional Crafts, and graduates of Kyoto City University of Arts. The combination of traditional techniques and contemporary sensibilities shapes every piece we offer.
Our Urushi Lacquer Artists
Urushi Lacquer Artist Holding Nature’s Stillness
Keiko Hata
Urushi Lacquer Artist with a Painterly Sensibility
Maki Mizuno
Urushi Lacquer Artist Coating Margin into Value
Rio Hashimoto
Urushi Lacquer Artist Reflecting Memory and Refuge
Saki Moriyama
Master Urushi Lacquer Artisan with Over 40 Years of Practice
Nobuyasu Suginaka
Nationally Certified Urushi Master of Sacred Restoration
Seisaku Nakajima
The People Behind the Studio
Founders & Studio Directors
Ken & Michie ISONO
Ken and Michie Isono founded The Kintsugi Labo JAPAN in 2020 as part of Isono Revitalizing Office LLC., a Japanese consulting firm dedicated to supporting traditional crafts. After meeting Mr. Suginaka through their consulting work, they were drawn into the world of urushi and kintsugi — and built a cross-border platform to bring authentic Japanese kintsugi to international collectors.
Ken now studies urushi lacquer at Kyoto City University of Arts, deepening his understanding of the medium he curates. Together, they handle everything from artist relationships and curation to logistics and customer care — bridging language, culture, and trade for collectors worldwide.
Advisor
Yosuke INUI
Yosuke Inui is the designer behind The Kintsugi Labo JAPAN brand identity, and the person whose insight first sparked this venture. Through his wide connections in the arts and crafts industry, he recognized growing international interest in authentic kintsugi from Japan, and encouraged the founding of this studio. He continues to advise on brand and design direction.
International Activities
The Kintsugi Labo JAPAN has shared the urushi lacquer tradition with international audiences through lectures, workshops, and press features that introduce kintsugi and urushi lacquer beyond Japan.
2024 — Barcelona, Spain
Lecture and demonstration on urushi lacquer and kintsugi at the University of Barcelona.
2022 — London, United Kingdom
Maki-e experience workshop at PANTECHNICON, with on-site exhibition and sale of kintsugi works.
Press:
Embassy of Japan in the UK
Belgravia London
2022 — Cuenca, Ecuador
Online lecture and demonstration at the ceramics event hosted by CIDAP (Centro Interamericano de Artesanías y Artes Populares).
Press:
CIDAP
2022 — Arab News Feature
Featured interview introducing kintsugi and the urushi lacquer tradition to readers across the Middle East.
Arab News
