VOL.203 MAY 2025
[SPRING SPECIAL ISSUE] VARIOUS VARIETIES OF CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN JAPAN (PART 2): ADMIRING THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS AT CASTLES IN JAPAN [Treasures of Japanese Culture] A Variety of Lacquer Creations for Contemporary Living

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One of Suzanne’s lacquered accessory creations. Lacquer can be used to express various aspects, such as matte textures, as well as surfaces that appear smooth and shiny.
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji

Suzanne Ross, a lacquer artist based in Ishikawa Prefecture, also creates lacquer¹ art and accessories using a variety of lacquer techniques. Here, we introduce some ways to enjoy the lacquer creations which complement today’s lifestyles suggested through her works.

When it comes to products and art using lacquer, the first thing most people probably think of is lacquerware.² However, in Japan, lacquer has been used not only for containers, jubako³ but in various other items used in daily life.

Lacquer is water-resistant, rustproof, antibacterial, and even has adhesive effects. This is why it has been used since ancient times for the pillars, railings, and ceilings of wooden buildings, as well as for making Buddhist statues. Multiple coats of lacquer applied over a carefully prepared base protected valuable architectural structures such as jinja bukkaku⁴ and Buddhist statues from deterioration. Lacquer demonstrates not only outstanding functionality as a material, but it is also very expressive, and can be used to create textures such as hair and the soft fabric of clothing on Buddhist statues.

Since lacquer is an extremely precious raw material with a low production volume, it has gradually fallen out of use since the development and production of synthetic paints and other coating materials. However, I believe that in order to pass on precious lacquer techniques, we need to offer new value for lacquer to address people’s changing needs.

One idea that I propose is the incorporation of lacquer into interior design. With modern Western-style interiors becoming the norm, today’s Japanese homes now have fewer traditional washitsu⁵ with shoji⁶ and tatami.⁷ That being said, I think that decorating these spaces with lacquered artwork is very attractive. When I had limited tools after the Noto Peninsula earthquake,⁸ I painted 31 pieces of lacquer art (see photo) using lacquer, gold leaf and washi and held an exhibition. Creating them was a healing experience for me as well as an opportunity to further discover the possibilities of lacquer.

You can also apply lacquer to furniture and kitchen counter surfaces to integrate traditional Japanese beauty into contemporary living spaces. Lacquer is durable, and has an artistic look that improves the longer you use it. It also has water-resistant and antibacterial properties, making it a perfect choice for places where food is used. I finished the kitchen counter in my former home in Wajima with four coats of lacquer, and I was very pleased with the beautiful glossy finish.

To inform the younger generation and people from overseas about the charm of lacquer, I create lacquer accessories that are easy to pick up and put on. Things like earrings and pendants, which you can wear every day, give people the chance to directly feel the texture and lightness of lacquer. Recently, young men have been buying my accessories, and it makes me happy to see that the beauty of lacquer is getting across to people regardless of gender and age. I’ve also used lacquer, lace and washi⁹ to make hats. At first glance, the design looks just like a regular hat, but they actually weigh only 50 grams as well as being waterproof. Another attractive thing about lacquer is that I can use it with an astounding number of other materials which helps me to freely shape my creations.

This wide range of expressivity means lacquer has great potential. I want to continue creating work that brings out the value of lacquer, not only by preserving traditional styles, but also by proposing new forms of expression and uses that address contemporary lifestyles and needs.

Suzanne Ross
Originally from London, United Kingdom, Suzanne Ross now resides in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture. She first encountered Japanese lacquer at an Edo-period art exhibition at The Royal Academy of Art in London and moved to Japan in 1984 to master the lacquer craft. She trained under Living National Treasures and honed her skills over the years while working in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture. However, after being affected by the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, she relocated her workshop and gallery to Yuwaku Onsen, a hot spring area in Kanazawa City. She is dedicated to sharing the beauty of Japanese lacquer with the world.
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji
search: Suzanne Ross

• 1. A native deciduous tree Toxicodendron Vernicifluum, cultivated in Japan for centuries.
• 2. An item finished with lacquer
• 3. A tier of two or three boxes with a lid on top used for holding food. Many are lacquered.
• 4. Shinto shrine and Buddhist temple buildings in Japanese
• 5. A traditional Japanese-style room. It usually refers to a room covered with tatami mats.
• 6. A general term for fittings used as indoor partitions and to keep out the outside air. In recent years, a latticed wooden frame affixed with white Japanese paper is commonly used.
• 7. A floor covering used in Japan, mainly in Japanese-style rooms. The floor is made of layers of straw, bound together with hemp threads, and topped with a woven rush grass surface. The edges are usually lined with a heri (fabric border).
• 8. On January 1, 2024, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture. Wajima City was also severely shaken, and there was widespread damage, including collapsed buildings, fires, landslides, and tsunamis.
• 9. Traditional paper made using an ancient Japanese method.

By Suzanne Ross
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji; Suzanne Ross; PIXTA

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