Eating Out of Art: Experience Luxurious Lacquerware That Is Wajima Nuri

Have you heard of the artisanal Japanese lacquerware that undergoes over a hundred stages of production?

Made in the port city of Wajima in Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, Wajima lacquerware (輪島塗 Wajima Nuri) is famed for its natural undercoat that results from this painstaking process. Its beautiful finishing and impressive durability makes it a sought-after luxury item in Japanese homes. Akin to art, it is reserved exclusively for special occasions. 

One can imagine the astronomical cost of owning this piece of art, but you can always dine in any local seafood restaurant that serves Noto Don to experience the luxury of eating from Wajima lacquerware. Noto Don is a raw seafood rice bowl that uses seasonal freshly caught seafood from around Noto Peninsula.

Wajima is also famous for its morning market. Along the same street, there are plenty of souvenir shops where you can purchase premium lacquerware and other local handicrafts to bring back home

During weekend evenings, enjoy a free cultural show at the Wajima Kiriko Art Museum that features Wajima’s historic Gojinjo Taiko drumming (御陣乗太鼓) performance. Noted for its intense drumming and ferocious dances, this ritual is said to have protected Wajima shores from invaders.

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