Miyajima, Hiroshima. On this island, bustling with visitors to Itsukushima Shrine, there is a young craftsman who is carrying on a tradition. Yusuke Shimomura is one of only four craftsmen on the island who practice Miyajima Rokuro (lathe turning). At its peak, there were hundreds of craftsmen, but their numbers have been steadily declining over time. Shimomura is exploring new possibilities for wooden crafts, using a 70-year-old lathe and the techniques and timber left behind by his predecessors. What path did this young man, captivated by the "joy of making usable things," choose to keep the flame of tradition alive?
Yusuke Shimomura
Born in 1996 in Mie Prefecture. Graduated from Hiroshima City University's Faculty of Art (Urushi Arts) and specialized in lacquerware art in graduate school. After graduation, he has been based in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, where he creates wooden crafts while living on Miyajima Island. He also works as a regional revitalization cooperator for Hatsukaichi (responsible for traditional craft heritage) to promote and preserve Miyajima crafts.
(*Article content based on information at the time of interview)
#3 Beyond the "Learn by Watching" Era: What My Master Taught Me
The passion an 84-year-old active craftsman entrusted to his apprentice
── How did you get into this profession, Mr. Shimomura?
Since I was little, I just loved making things. I was a child who loved art class and crafts.
I wanted to go to an art university, and within art, I had a strong desire to create three-dimensional objects, so I chose the craft or sculpture department and went to the Design and Crafts department at Hiroshima City University's Faculty of Art.
There, I chose a course specializing in Urushi arts, and that's how I encountered Miyajima Rokuro.
── What was the main reason you started Rokuro?
I was aiming for an art and design university, and I was doing sketches and making artworks. Until then, even if I drew pictures, they were just displayed and evaluated; I couldn't make anything that was actually usable.
When I started Rokuro, suddenly the things I made could be used in daily life, and I could sell them, and someone would use them. That experience was incredibly fun and impactful for me.
I thought, "Rokuro is great, making usable things is fun," and I wanted to pursue this path of Rokuro.
── So, from there, you decided to become a craftsman.
Yes, I wanted to make it my profession. After graduating from university and during graduate school, I unexpectedly became a part-time instructor teaching the interior design course at an industrial high school.
While teaching adults woodworking and design for about three years, I set up my own workshop.
Eventually, I heard about an opportunity from Hatsukaichi for a regional revitalization cooperation team that was looking for people to promote Miyajima's traditional crafts and aspiring craftsmen.
I thought, "If I'm going to aim to be a craftsman, this is the only time," so I readily resigned from my teaching job and applied for the regional revitalization cooperation team.
First, I'm currently studying to become a craftsman, including living in Miyajima, with the support of the city and the Miyajima Craft Cooperative.
── Please tell us about your meeting with your master.
During a university class where we learned about traditional local crafts in Hiroshima, I met my current master, Mr. Fujimoto.
However, Mr. Fujimoto said that his workshop didn't have the capacity to train people, so while becoming an apprentice would be difficult, he told me that he wanted me to continue Miyajima Rokuro as an artist.
── What kind of person is your master?
He's truly a "master craftsman" type of old man. He's 84 years old this year, but my impression is that he's kind and simply loves to teach.
He always reminds me that in his generation, it was all about "learning by watching."
He started when he was 16 or 17, and now he's 84, so he's been doing Rokuro work for nearly 60 or 70 years. His work is incredibly fast and beautiful, and it's fair to say he's dedicated his life to Rokuro.
His body has really adapted to Rokuro work. Since he uses sandpaper to polish, his thumb bends a lot.
He loves Rokuro and has a very strong desire to convey its fun and nurture others.
That's why when I set up my workshop and said I wanted to move to Miyajima to become a craftsman, he was very happy and has been very supportive.
I feel like I have to work hard to become a good craftsman, inheriting his passion.
── Do you have any memorable episodes with your master?
It's not so much a memorable episode as it is that we're in constant communication, even about very private matters.
He even calls me about things like how to use a smartphone, things where I'd think, "Are you really calling about that?" (laughs)
── Please tell us about the difficult parts of the process and any differences you feel with your master.
The most difficult part is the blades. My master always tells me, "You must make sharp blades that cut well." He says that the blades are the lifeblood of the craft.
Making dozens of pieces that are exactly the same shape is a challenge for the future.
The difference with my master is definitely the speed of creation and, of course, the beauty of the finish.
After all, I sometimes cover up grain tears with sandpaper.
My master, however, carves precisely with the blade, so his finishing speed is faster, and the finish is indeed more beautiful.
#4 "Fuki-urushi" (Wiped Lacquer) That Enhances Wood Grain
Applying and wiping repeatedly. A technique that brings out the beauty of the raw material.
── Please tell us about the lacquer application process.
Since Miyajima Rokuro's characteristic is to make the most of the wood grain, I apply lacquer, but it's called "fuki-urushi" (wiped lacquer). After applying, I wipe it off, leaving the wood grain visible as a finish.
── That's a beautiful texture.
This is black lacquer. When black lacquer is applied, it becomes quite a dark brown color. That's because regular lacquer is brown, a reddish-brown color.
It seems that black is achieved by reacting with the iron content in the lacquer to make it black.
Regular lacquer is just the refined sap of the tree, its natural color. Conversely, red lacquer has pigments added to make it red.
── How many coats do you apply?
Since it's wiped lacquer, it's usually around 5 or 6 coats. That's much less compared to traditional lacquerware.
I'm quite particular about the matte finish. When I want a matte piece, I sometimes only apply one coat.
── Are there any difficulties or particularities in the application process?
Since it's wiped later, any scratches made by the lathe cannot be hidden by the lacquer. So, if the lathe work is clean, the finish will also be clean after lacquering.
My particularity is that by leaving only the lacquer absorbed into the wood and wiping off the surface, the wood grain becomes clearly visible in the finish.
So, compared to traditional lacquerware, the coating film is thin, but Miyajima Rokuro often uses hard broadleaf trees, so the object itself is quite sturdy.
── Has lacquer always been applied in Miyajima Rokuro?
Apparently, lacquer was not applied in the past.
That's why some of my works, like lampshades and larger trays, are just stained, or even completely finished without any coating or staining.
However, for dishes, since they are used and washed, I do want to apply a certain finish, such as lacquer or urethane coating. I hope to create things that are easy to use.
#5 Miyajima's Tradition into Modern Life
Coasters, lampshades, and soup bowls. Miyajima Rokuro inherited in new forms for the modern era.
── Could you show us some of your work?
Miyajima Rokuro products often have a finish that makes the most of the wood grain. For example, there are many trays and teacups, but I try to arrange them in a modern way when creating them.
For example, traditional teacups are designed for sencha (green tea) and can only hold a teacup. So, I design them with a restrained rim so that various items such as glass cups and mugs can fit.
Similarly, for trays, I keep the rims understated and finish them casually. I create them with the idea of blending into modern life.
──You also make soup bowls.
In Miyajima, bowls like these were not traditionally made, but as wooden vessels, soup bowls are practical for their intended use. Since there is also demand, I actively make such bowls.
── Lampshades too?
A characteristic of my work is that I also make lampshades.
Since LED bulbs don't get hot, there's no worry about fire, and I create pieces like these to expand into interior design.
── What is the current situation of Miyajima Rokuro production?
Speaking only of the island, there are currently four of us, including myself.
During its peak, around the end of the Showa era, there were said to be over 100, even hundreds of craftsmen, but it's been rapidly declining.
So, it's not just about me; I feel a responsibility to nurture new and younger generations, using my workshop as a starting point.
── How do you want to connect Miyajima Rokuro to the future?
It was a university class that led me to Miyajima Rokuro and to meet Mr. Fujimoto.
For a moment, I considered other production areas, but it was Miyajima Rokuro that introduced me to the fascination of lathe turning and woodworking.
I really wanted to give back to this production area, so I'm determined to do my best in Miyajima.
