Last month, I visited a very talented Urushi artist, Kamata Katsuji (鎌田 克慈）in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. Getting to Wajima from Tokyo is surprisingly easy, there is a daily flight from Haneda (Tokyo) to Wajima, and the flight time is just under an hour. It was a comfortable flight and we saw the beautiful view of Mt. Fuji from the sky.
Mt. Fuji from the airplane
Map of Japan showing Wajima City.
Wajima, famous for its Urushi ware, rich natural surroundings, and fresh fish, is a place many people long to visit so we were deeply shocked that the New Year’s Day earthquake hit Wajima so hard. Urushi is so important in Japanese arts and crafts that it was once called "Japan." Watching the news and seeing the town’s beautiful old streets and historic houses destroyed by the earthquake was as shocking to me as the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Despite the significant damage from the earthquake, he remained very busy with exhibitions and a business trip to the British Museum for restoration work in the summer. I was fortunate to find one day when our schedules matched, allowing me to meet him.
View of the Noto Peninsula where Wajima is located, from the airplane
When we arrived at Noto Airport, Kamata-san was there, warmly welcoming us. I asked him to show us the city of Wajima. People outside of Wajima may have already forgotten about the earthquake damage, but it was a truly unimaginable disaster. Even though nine months have passed, the destroyed houses and buildings still remain. Words cannot fully express it.
The building was lying on its side.
Wajima Urushi ware shop. It was closed on New Year's Day, so fortunately there was no one there.
He mentioned that while his house and studio did not suffer major damage, many craftsmen were unable to work, and production was significantly delayed due to the long process of creating a piece, which involved the cooperation of various artisans. The cost of covering these delays was enormous. He spoke to us calmly about the difficulties he had experienced.
Then, he took us to a Japanese restaurant called Kuwagumi (割烹 夥汲), located in front of a renowned Urushi institution, a school where people can learn skills also from Living National Treasures.
The entrance of Kuwagumi.
The restaurant had also been damaged but has since been repaired and is now open again. Kamata-san used to teach at the school before the earthquake and would very often eat there after class.
The chef showed us fresh fish and prepared a delicious meal right in front of us. The price was like a dream, comparable to that of a mediocre sandwich in New York! The chef asked Kamata-san, 'Can you make these for me? There’s no need to rush, but let me pay you now.' The chef ordered some urushi ware from him.
The people of Wajima are very calm and incredibly kind. Even in difficult times, their desire to help one another was evident, and I was deeply moved by it. Surrounded by abundant nature, living on fresh fish and vegetables, Wajima's life is simple yet truly rich. I am wondering why I am living in New York City.
The owner-chef showed us today's fish at the counter. It was super fresh!
Everything is so fresh and delicious! This is what they call a rich life! Thank you so much, chef!
This is getting long, so I’ll write about Kamata-san’s work in the next blog. To be continued.