Lacquering Techniques of Shayashi: Processes and Material Selection for Roiro Urushi, Ishime Coating, and Togidashi Maki-e on Japanese Sword Scabbards

The Position of Lacquer in the Work of Shayashi

The scabbard (saya) of a Japanese sword is far more than merely a "storage case for a blade." It protects the blade, maintains its appearance when worn at the waist, and constitutes an essential element of the sword's overall artistic value. The lacquer coating that covers the scabbard's surface is the process where the shayashi's skill is most tested, both in terms of durability and aesthetics.

The work of a shayashi is broadly divided into two stages: "wood preparation (woodworking)" and "lacquering." While wood preparation is the fundamental process that determines the scabbard's form, it is not an overstatement to say that the lacquering determines the scabbard's final appearance. This article focuses on the lacquering techniques of the shayashi and explains in detail their processes and materials.

Types of Lacquer Used on Scabbards

There are several types of lacquer coating applied to scabbards, each with different applications and levels of difficulty.

Roiro Coating (呂色塗り): Considered the most refined coating method, this technique involves layering black lacquer multiple times and then polishing it with charcoal powder to achieve a deep, mirror-like gloss with transparent luminosity. The term "roiro" refers to this distinctive deep, lustrous black finish. It was frequently used on the scabbards of formal swords worn by high-ranking samurai and is still employed in the finest sword mountings today. The polishing process alone can take tens of hours, making it the most time-consuming and technically demanding lacquering method.

Ishime Coating (石目塗り): This technique involves creating fine texture on the lacquered surface using rapeseed grains or special tools before it dries, producing a unique surface resembling stone. It provides good grip even with perspiration on the fingers and was commonly used on practical sword mountings. It was one of the preferred coatings for samurai who actually wore their swords during the Edo period, and was applied in various colors including black, red, and brown.

Roiro Nashiji Coating (蝋色梨地塗り): This technique creates a fine-textured surface resembling pear skin by applying a roiro finish over a "nashiji" base, which is created by spraying gold or silver powder mixed with lacquer to form a patterned surface. It has an air of luxury and often requires collaboration with a maki-e artist.

The Process of Togidashi Maki-e—Collaboration Between Shayashi and Maki-e Artists

The most refined scabbard lacquering is known as "togidashi maki-e" (polished-out gold decoration). This technique cannot be completed by the shayashi alone and requires collaboration with a maki-e artist.

The process outline is as follows: First, the shayashi finishes the wood and applies a base coat of lacquer. Next, the maki-e artist draws designs using gold powder, silver powder, and colored powders, fixing them with lacquer. After the maki-e dries, multiple layers of transparent lacquer or roiro lacquer are applied over it, embedding the design beneath the surface. Finally, the surface is polished with charcoal and abrasive materials, causing the embedded design to emerge from beneath the lacquer.

Scabbards created by this technique have a unique depth—the surface is completely smooth while designs appear to float within the lacquer. Auspicious motifs such as aoi (hollyhock), paulownia, and pine-bamboo-plum designs, as well as natural patterns like landscapes, waves, and cranes and tortoises, were commonly used.

The Importance of Base Preparation—Hemp Cloth Layering and Ground Rust Fixing

To create high-quality lacquered scabbards, the "base preparation" before coating begins is of critical importance. Insufficient base preparation can cause the lacquer to crack or peel.

Hemp Cloth Layering (麻布積み): This process involves affixing hemp cloth to the wood base with lacquer. It prevents cracking caused by wood movement (expansion and contraction), particularly in corners and curved areas prone to cracking.

Ground Rust Fixing (地錆固め): This process applies "ground rust lacquer," made by mixing iron or charcoal powder into lacquer, to smooth out irregularities. Multiple layers are applied to create a smooth base. Alternating with polishing (base polishing) is necessary, and even for experienced shayashi, the base work alone can take several weeks.

Red Lacquer and Variant Coating Techniques

In addition to black lacquers, many scabbards use red lacquer, including cinnabar-based and mercury-red varieties. Red scabbards are frequently seen on swords donated to shrines and on women's concealed daggers and small swords, characterized by their vibrant coloring. While synthetic red lacquers (iron sulfide-based) are used today, traditional cinnabar red has a deeper color and unparalleled beauty.

Many other special techniques collectively called "variant coatings" exist, including swirl coating, flowing coating, and brush-mark coating, techniques that give lacquer distinctive character and expression. These styles have varied with different periods, and shayashi select them based on their customers' preferences and the overall design of the sword.

Contemporary Shayashi and the Transmission of Lacquering Techniques

Even today, the number of shayashi is small, and those who undertake serious lacquering work are even fewer. The transmission of high-quality sword mounting culture requires the collaboration of multiple craftspeople—shayashi, lacquer workers, and maki-e artists—and maintaining that network is a significant challenge.

In cultural property restoration, shayashi are expected to analyze the lacquer on old sword mountings and restore them as closely as possible to their original materials and methods. One of the roles expected of contemporary shayashi is combining knowledge of traditional techniques with modern analytical technology.

The lacquer on a scabbard continues to slowly harden and stabilize for decades after completion. Fine lacquered scabbards retain their luster even a century later, truly embodying the concept of "craftswork that achieves completion through the passage of time."