Craft of Kintsugi

金継ぎ(きんつぎ - kintsugi), which translates to “gold joinery,” is a pottery art form. Kintsugi is also sometimes referred to as 金繕い (きつくろい - kitsukuroi), which means “golden repair”. It is unique, reusing broken ceramics to make something beautiful. Instead of grieving a broken teacup, it is enhanced with gold in the cracks to make a new and beautiful piece to enjoy.

Materials differ over time periods, artisans, types, and approaches. The following types are:

Traditional 金継ぎ

Traditional works use many different metal powders, but gold is the most prominent; others include brass and bronze. (Chimahaga) In this variation of Kintsugi, the practices remained as a way to fix and continue using the pieces. The most important material was 漆（うるし - urushi), the sap from a lacquer tree. It is often used as an adhesive to hold the broken pieces together, and as a coating that is non-toxic. Meaning they can retain their original uses. It was consistently used even when the metal powders were switched out.

The two subtypes of gold (or alternative metal powders) are 丸粉（まるふん - marufun) and 消粉（けしふん - keshifun). Marufun has larger pieces of gold and needs to be sanded to have a shiny finish. Keshifun is smaller, more refined, and does not need as much polishing to look shiny! Choices come to personal preference and process, although Marufun is seen as more challenging to work with than Keshifun.

Traditionally, this process is very long due to the urushi needing to “dry”. The specific conditions for it to dry are quite tedious as well; a humidity of roughly 70-85%, and heat around 20-30° C. Without these conditions, it won’t set properly, which means that when Kintsugi first started to be created, there was a lot of waiting.

Now, in modern practices of traditional Kintsugi, there are ways to manipulate these temperatures to get it done faster, like using a 室(むろ - muro). The muro is a box that holds in humidity to keep the urushi “dry”. Urushi doesn’t exactly dry; it goes through a chemical process by absorbing oxygen to harden. Even with these modern tools, it can still take up to three weeks for it to dry! 

Modern 金継ぎ

Modern practices often vary depending on the artisan or artist involved. While some modern pieces are strictly used for art or decorative purposes, others are still able to be eaten with. Lacquer and gold are very expensive, so it is often easier to find replacements that give off the same finished look without needing to drop so much money on one piece. The most common alternative materials are mica powders that do not contain real gold or metals and epoxy resin.

However, there are many other variations and additional materials like glue, brass powder, etc. Modern forms often dry within a day or two depending on the type of adhesives used. This makes it easier for people to take home if done in a studio/class since people often don’t have all the materials or equipment at home.

呼継（よびつぎ - Yobitsugi)

This is a similar art form that aligns with kintsugi. These two differ in the fact that 呼継（よびつぎ - yobitsugi) combines multiple broken items together to make something new, while kintsugi only uses the original broken pieces. 

ひび (Hibi)

Hibi, written mainly in hiragana, directly translates to a “crack” when used in the context of ceramics/pottery. This specific style is used to fill in cracks with gold; there are no actual breaks in this context. This style often looks crackly, as it fills in small spots and doesn’t completely take over a full crack. 

かけの金継ぎ（かけのきんつぎ - Kake no Kintsugi)

This specifically refers to the most famous type of kintsugi and the one that the art form is named after. This is when the fully broken pieces from the same object are put together. Typically, these pieces result from accidental breaks or drops. Overall, the process to make kintsugi can follow the traditional or modern method. This overall fix is what gives the deep, thick lines through a piece to mend the solid breaks.

These styles make the different variations in the craft of kintsugi. It shows how broad the art of fixing something broken can be, even while keeping the main concept the same. From thick to thin strokes, different adhesive materials, and some additions of alternative metals. kintsugi can share a message of beautiful imperfections while bringing different generations and practices together. 

Origin of 金継ぎ

Urushi’s history started long before kintsugi’s did. It had the same role as an adhesive and coating material and was used for other types of repairs, preservation, and to hold objects together. Urushi protects objects from mold and water damage. While it was found in both China and Japan, it is debated which country discovered it first. Historically, kintsugi is believed to have been documented in the 室町時代（Muromachi period), which is roughly in the late 15th century. As well as when it was popularized. 

Stories and Myths

There are plenty of stories about kintsugi’s origins. Like “筒井筒(つついづつ - Tsutsuizutsu)” which tells the story of where a servant in a teahouse broke a bowl that the lord loved. At this time, servants and their families would all pay for one's wrongdoings. The servant was terrified of what could happen to his family, so he looked for a solution until he found one. Lord Hideyoshi loved the unique look, and the book ended pretty well. 

The other legend is about a shogun. The shogun, Yoshimasa, had allegedly sent a broken bowl to China for replacements. It ended up being stapled/barely held together. He then tried to find someone who could actually fix the bowl in some way. It went well and was mended with gold, making it one of the first exposures to kintsugi.

Cultural Significance

Kintsugi was an art starter in Japan, so it only makes sense to be majorly impacted by Japanese culture and beliefs, with Buddhism and Shinto influences. These beliefs drive the kintsugi art form. 

侘寂（わびさび - Wabi Sabi)

The idea of imperfections actually being perfections. This ideology is built on the ideas that nothing lasts, and nothing is perfect. However, we can use the “flaws” to appreciate the beauty in things more. Things that are asymmetrical or unfinished are just as interesting and precious as the things that are symmetrical and finished. 

勿体無い（もったいない - Mottainai)

The belief that we should reuse instead of waste, believing that if an object can be fixed and used still, it should continue to be used that way. Those things can be given a second life, and to overall reduce waste instead of always buying new. The new “life” of the object doesn’t take away from the old one either. 

無心（むしん - Mushin)

The idea that what happens is going to happen. Change is inevitable, so there should be peace and acceptance in the fact that things will not always be okay. The idea is to not mourn the change but see if there is any good that can come out of it. So when a break happens, do not dwell on it. The world will keep turning. 

物の哀れ（もののあわれ - Mono no Aware)

The belief that nothing is permanent and that’s okay. Let time tell a story about your past. The gold on the pieces will tell a story of their breaks. The object is not new anymore, 

but it still holds value. 

These beliefs come together to inform why kintsugi was created, and how it is able to stick around in the way that it does. Even if kintsugi is not as popular in modern days, it remains an honest reflection of Buddhist and Shinto beliefs and the important history and culture behind them. 

Sources:

1. https://www.in-kanazawa.com/fr/post/origin-of-kintsugi-1

2. https://kintsugi-kit.com/blogs/tsugu-tsugu-columns/traditional-kintsugi-vs-modern-kintsugi?srsltid=AfmBOooIHPjO3jHf2dqDFbnxhdN2VrCJCSA8VXPbdui49sntdI_bVzSL

3. https://konmari.com/wabi-sabi-and-the-art-of-kintsugi/?srsltid=AfmBOopxS43tfwMzK86onXHhuG-1gVgAiNVU8VvE8V4bQOn0JUMeFLuP

4. https://www.japan.travel/en/blog/the-art-of-imperfection-kintsugi-pottery-and-wabi-sabi/

5. https://www.veltra.com/en/travelguide/tokyo/kintsugi-philosophy/

6. https://www.veltra.com/en/travelguide/art-tradition-culture/crafts-workshops/what-is-kintsugi/

7. https://www.veltra.com/en/travelguide/art-tradition-culture/crafts-workshops/what-is-kintsugi/

8. https://chimahaga.com/en-jp/blogs/journal/there-are-various-types-of-kintsugi?srsltid=AfmBOoqcvxG8Vn5lfyBsXEPXI5G6BKuN7uvuxV9-CJvFpCOghpbB-W2Q

9. https://www.japanhouselondon.uk/read-and-watch/kintsugi/

10. https://tatsujin-style.com/blogs/journal/kintsugi-kintsukuroi?srsltid=AfmBOoqWN4dsJPrspTz3H2E_AwH0rgEpnrFoh0UE2-ghrzMy9qFQfioT

Picture:

1. https://unsplash.com/photos/collection-of-ceramic-dishes-many-repaired-with-gold-kintsugi-lifThcZxg3I

2. https://unsplash.com/photos/round-brown-and-white-ceramic-plate-JuDPjcutors

3. https://www.si.edu/collections/snapshot/beauty-broken-objects

4. https://www.kintsugi.art/en/post/yobitsugi-or-aesthetic-patchwork?srsltid=AfmBOorXuU5uSgsyF1XqfCz6-WRWoOFaqRpTCy3gYrSVgoUbtsYm0Mx9

5. https://unsplash.com/photos/a-bowl-of-soup-is-sitting-on-a-plate-IwRjH4EE53Y

6. https://unsplash.com/photos/four-tiles-with-blue-and-white-designs-on-them-p5YTll-28k0

7. https://unsplash.com/photos/a-hand-paints-a-detail-on-a-ceramic-piece-cZml8AN3o5g