What to Know Before Learning Kintsugi on Your Own

This year, I decided to update my blog every month. However, as the number of articles grows, beginners might get overwhelmed by the information. So, I thought I’d write an article introducing only the essential knowledge for those who want to start learning kintsugi on their own.

Two Types of Kintsugi

To put it simply, what is commonly referred to as "kintsugi" can be divided into two types:

Kintsugi using urushi (Traditional Kintsugi)
Kintsugi without urushi (Simplified Kintsugi)

This article is for those who want to try the first type—traditional kintsugi.
For a more detailed explanation of the different types of kintsugi, check out this article.

What Is Urushi?

So, what exactly is urushi, and what does it mean to repair with it?

In simple terms, urushi is the "sap" collected from the urushi tree. When we say "urushi," we’re referring to the sap, not the tree itself.

Freshly collected urushi is a liquid, but it hardens into an extremely durable resin. This property has been used to create a variety of crafts, including lacquerware.

In kintsugi, this property is also used to glue broken pieces and fill chips.

Urushi Can Cause Skin Irritation

One of the key points beginners should be aware of is that urushi can easily cause skin irritation.

If liquid urushi touches the skin, it may cause itching that lasts for several days. Therefore, caution is required when handling it.

Wearing waterproof gloves during work usually prevents problems, but those with sensitive skin may still react to even a small amount of vaporized urushi. If you’re concerned, it’s best to be cautious. (In fact, one person in my workshop had a severe reaction despite wearing gloves.)

That said, any inflammation that appears will fade completely over time without leaving any marks, so there’s no need to worry about that.

Additionally, urushi causes irritation only in its uncured state; once hardened, it’s safe to touch with bare hands.

For more information about urushi, please refer to this article.

It Can Take Over a Month to Complete

Kintsugi using urushi takes time to complete.

In the fastest cases, it can be done in about two weeks, but in most cases, it takes around a month.

The reason is that urushi takes time to harden.

The kintsugi process is roughly divided into five steps, each using urushi.
After applying urushi, you need to wait several days to a week until it hardens enough for the next step.

Each step takes about 1–2 hours of actual work, so the total working time isn’t that long, but the waiting time is extensive.

Choose One Mentor

This is the most important point I want to make!

When learning on your own, you’ll likely come across a lot of information. However, when actually repairing, choose one trustworthy source and stick to their method.

Kintsugi techniques and materials can vary significantly from person to person, but they are optimized to allow efficient repair throughout the entire process.

Combining different people’s methods and materials freely can lead to inconsistencies.

One common pitfall is buying a book that explains kintsugi steps but using a commercial kit because it’s easier than gathering each material individually.

In many cases, the materials introduced in the book do not match those included in the kit.

If you’re following a book’s instructions, purchase each tool listed in the book.
If you’re using a commercial kit, follow the kit’s manual.

Where to Buy Kintsugi Materials

That said, finding specialized materials like urushi can be challenging.
So, to conclude this article, here are some shops that sell them online:

Sato Kiyomatsu Shoten (Link)
A lacquer shop in Kyoto that I personally rely on.
As of writing this article, their online store is still under construction, but you can request materials via their contact form.
Shikata Urushi Shop (Link)
Tsutsumi Asakichi Urushi Shop (Link)
These are also lacquer specialty shops that sell online. Their online store format might make it easier to purchase.

For the record, our online store also sells kintsugi materials. However, as of March 2025, we only stock items used in the methods I introduce, so it might be a bit limited…

I’ll do my best to expand our product lineup soon.