Ao Ishimeji



Description:

Ao Ishimeji (blue stone) is the term for lacquer imitating the blue stone, from along the Arakawa 荒川 in the Chichibu 秩父 area of modern Saitama prefecture. The best ao-ishi were quarried in the Iyo 伊予, Awa 阿波, Kishuu 紀州, and Chichibu 秩父 regions, and each of these areas lent its name to the ao-ishi produced there.
This lacquer is achieved by sprinkling dry lacquer powder „kanshitsu-fun“ into wet lacquer. In Japanese Art & Craft simulated stone surfaces „hada“ play an important role, found on many lacquer objects like sword scabbards, inro and boxes.