Kishu Lacquerware Tray Decorating Workshop with Kumiko Tanioka

Join Kumiko Tanioka, a nationally recognised lacquerware craftsperson from Wakayama, for a hands-on workshop in the Kishu lacquerware tradition. Tanioka is a Dentō Kōgei-shi, one of Japan’s officially certified Master Craftspeople, and the fifth generation of her family workshop. You will decorate a half-moon shaped Kishu hinoki wood tray in black or red, drawing your own design or working from a sample illustration. Tanioka then demonstrates how to brush traditional lacquer onto the design and apply metal powder, in a process somewhat similar to kintsugi. You take your finished tray home. Each workshop lasts one hour, with a maximum of eight people per session. They take place at OXO Gallery, on the floor below wagumi: Thu 26 & Fri 27 Nov: 11:00–12:00, 17:00–18:00 Sat 28 & Sun 29 Nov: 11:00–12:00, 14:00–15:00, 16:30–17:30 Tickets are £48 for adults, including materials and instructions, and £39 for children aged 7–12. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and any adult who wants to make their own tray needs their own ticket. The workshop uses materials such as acetone; gloves and aprons are provided, and attendees are advised to wear suitable clothing. The workshop is part of a wider showcase of Kishu lacquerware with Atelier Densan at OXO Gallery, 26–29 November, which is free to visit and includes demonstrations, Japanese makers and free tastings. It is the first event of Wagu-Michi, wagumi’s 15th anniversary year.