Edo sashimono is characterized by lacquer finishing that highlights the natural wood grain. In Numata City, Gunma Prefecture, craftsman Ryoichi Yoshizawa is the third-generation successor of a sashimono shop with a history of over 100 years. At the age of 18, he trained in lacquerware in Asakusa. One might have expected him to settle into the life of a sashimono artisan, but around 20 he rebelled against his father and went to Kyoto and Osaka, studying stage art and stage lighting, even working as a stage manager for a time.

“Up until my father’s generation, we made things like chests of drawers. Back then, you could make a living with that. But I could feel that demand was shrinking. No matter how much I tried to convey the value of a chest worth over a million yen, young people today don’t need it. I realized there was a limit,” Yoshizawa recalls. His sensitivity to generational shifts and the sensibilities of young people may stem from his wide-ranging experiences.

Concerned that business might not survive into his son’s generation, Yoshizawa sought to create items that younger people would instantly find desirable. He began exploring new possibilities.

“What helped me was my past experience. In my twenties, I had a mentor who introduced me to amazing food and drink. That experience became my compass. Now, whenever I encounter new cuisine or sake, I can interpret them through that lens.”

From this perspective came a line of tableware—chopsticks, mugs, plates—made by combining lacquer with natural materials such as rice husks, hemp, bamboo, and sand. They are artisanal yet highly practical. Even a single pair of chopsticks features subdued tones and a rough, anti-slip texture.

“These chopsticks use carbonized rice husks affixed with lacquer. Something like rice husks, which would normally be discarded, can be brought to life this way. That feels rewarding, doesn’t it? This texture is our original. Because we handle everything in-house—from the idea to the design and the finishing—we can express even subtle textures.”

The use of lacquer adds further depth to his creations.
“Since the Jomon period, lacquer has been used as a natural adhesive. The rice husks on these chopsticks actually came from a ryokan where they were used to prepare rice served to guests. Lacquer is a material that lets you attach stories.”

Yoshizawa’s creations are not limited to tableware; they extend to furniture, lighting, shop counters, and entire spaces. Since 2009, he has participated in Autumn: At the Sake Brewery, an event held in a former brewery in Nakanojo, Gunma, started as a new place-making initiative by makers. It continues today, now passed down to his son.

“It’s like an evolving exhibition. Every year, we come up with ideas—collaborating with chefs so visitors can enjoy delicious food and sake,” he explains. Yoshizawa has collaborated with many chefs in Gunma Prefecture. About three years ago, he also began exploring overseas markets.

“Through my connection with JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization), overseas expansion became a real possibility. At first, I thought it would be difficult because of the language barrier. But abroad, there are discerning buyers who can let the work speak for itself. At first, we expanded into China, and now we’ve been building partnerships in Europe.”

When engaging with clients, Yoshizawa doesn’t start with his own image of what’s “cool.” Instead, he listens to their background and desires, combining that with his own knowledge of techniques and textures, and begins the process of creating something in between.

“Whenever I think, ‘This is cool, why doesn’t it sell?’—that usually means it isn’t cool. That’s just a one-person worldview. It’s only when there’s a client that a second-person kind of ‘coolness’ is born. And now, I believe true coolness lies in third-person creation.”

The question he constantly asks himself is: “Where does craftsmanship come from, and where is it going?”

Lacquerware dates back to the Jomon period, while the history of sashimono reaches back to court culture in the Nara and Heian periods. Where does he stand now, and where is he heading? Yoshizawa’s work—crossing borders and language barriers—remains on its journey.