Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese method of repairing broken or chipped ceramics and lacquerware using urushi (natural lacquer), with the repaired seams decorated in gold or silver. It reflects a uniquely Japanese way of thinking about beauty and time—one that does not treat something as finished simply because it has broken.
At first glance, kintsugi may seem like just a technique for fixing damaged objects. However, its true meaning goes far beyond simple repair. Rather than hiding the fact that something has been broken, kintsugi embraces it. The damage becomes part of the object’s history, and is made visible.
In many cultures, damage is seen as a loss of value. A broken object is often considered no longer useful, and even when repaired, the marks are usually hidden as much as possible.
Kintsugi takes the opposite approach. Instead of concealing cracks, it highlights them using gold—one of the most eye-catching materials. This choice reflects a distinctly Japanese set of values.
Simple Kintsugi and Traditional Urushi Kintsugi
There are two main types of kintsugi: simplified kintsugi and traditional urushi kintsugi.
In recent years, simplified kintsugi using epoxy resin or synthetic adhesives has become popular. It is quick to complete and the materials are easy to obtain, making it an accessible introduction for beginners.
However, simplified kintsugi is generally intended for decorative purposes. Synthetic materials are sensitive to heat and tend to deteriorate over time, so they are often not recommended for regular use as tableware.
In contrast, traditional kintsugi using natural urushi allows the repaired item to be used again as everyday tableware. Urushi has natural antibacterial properties and, when handled properly, can be used safely over a long period.
The History of Kintsugi
Kintsugi developed alongside the culture of the tea ceremony.
From the Muromachi period to the Azuchi–Momoyama period, the tea ceremony shifted from a display of wealth and status to a practice that valued simplicity and quietness.
Tea bowls imported from China were extremely valuable at the time. However, with long use, they would inevitably chip or crack. In China, repairs were often made using metal staples, but Japanese tea practitioners did not find this appearance aesthetically pleasing.
This led to the development of repairs using urushi. Lacquer had long been used in Japan and worked well with ceramics. By finishing the repair with gold, cracks were transformed from flaws into highlights.
This way of thinking is closely related to the concept of wabi-sabi—the idea that beauty can be found in imperfection, impermanence, and the traces of time. Kintsugi is one of the clearest expressions of this philosophy.
The Kintsugi Process
Traditional kintsugi using urushi requires a great deal of time and care. It is not simply about putting broken pieces back together, but about engaging with the object once again.
First, the broken pieces are carefully cleaned to remove any dirt or oil. They are then reattached using urushi. Unlike modern adhesives, urushi does not harden quickly, and proper control of humidity and temperature is essential.
Source: “Authentic Functionality and Durability: The Urushi Bath Suitable for Kintsugi”
CONFORT Magazine
After bonding, the piece is left to cure in a controlled environment for several days or even weeks. Urushi hardens by reacting with moisture in the air, so it is less like “drying” and more like “growing”.
If parts are missing, a mixture of urushi and powder is used to fill the gaps and reshape the form. This process is repeated many times—applying, drying, and polishing—until the desired shape is achieved.
Finally, gold or silver powder is applied along the repaired lines. Completing the entire process can take several weeks, or even months.
Kintsugi cannot be rushed. In fact, trying to hurry often leads to failure. Accepting the passage of time is therefore an essential part of the technique itself.
Urushi: The Key Material
At the heart of kintsugi is urushi.
Urushi is not simply an adhesive or coating—it is a unique natural material that has supported Japanese craftsmanship and daily life for centuries.
Source: “How Urushi Is Collected: A Kintsugi Craftsman’s Experience”
Tsugutsugu
It is a sap collected from the urushi tree, and only a small amount can be harvested from a single tree each year. Moreover, it takes more than ten years before a tree is ready for tapping. In other words, urushi is a material that inherently requires time, both to grow and to use.
It is also difficult to handle. Urushi does not cure properly in dry or excessively hot conditions, and it requires a carefully controlled environment. In addition, it can cause strong skin irritation in some people, making it physically demanding for craftsmen to work with. In many ways, it is the opposite of modern materials that prioritise speed and efficiency.
As a result, much of the urushi used in Japan today is imported from China. Domestic production is extremely limited, and with an ageing workforce and a shortage of successors, the future of Japanese urushi production is uncertain.
Despite this, urushi continues to be used in kintsugi and lacquerware. This is because it is a material designed for long-term use.
Whose Work Is a Kintsugi Piece?
Kintsugi has a unique quality not found in many other repair techniques: once completed, the object can feel like your own creation.
Originally, the piece was made by an artist, with clear intentions behind its shape and glaze. It was a finished work.
However, once it breaks, it returns to an “unfinished” state.
By repairing it through kintsugi, you take part in giving it a new form of completion. Decisions such as where to apply the gold and how visible to make the repair reflect the restorer’s own sensibility.
In this way, the object becomes more than just something you own. It becomes something that shares time and experience with you. Kintsugi blurs the boundary between creator and owner.
Beyond Price: Taking Responsibility for Objects
Kintsugi is sometimes seen as a technique for repairing expensive items. While it is true that it requires time and effort, its essence is not about the monetary value of the object.
Rather, it challenges the simple idea of “repair if it is expensive, discard if it is cheap.”
Objects we use in daily life carry meaning regardless of their price. Their value does not disappear the moment they break.
Choosing to repair them is a way of renewing our relationship with them.
Use, damage, repair, and use again.
Through this cycle, an object becomes more than something disposable—it becomes something that shares time with us.
In today’s world of mass production and consumption, kintsugi offers a perspective that encourages us to rethink how we relate to the things we own.
How Kintsugi Faces Breakage
Kintsugi is not about restoring something to its original state.
It is about continuing to use something while preserving the traces of its breakage.
Chips and cracks are not failures or endings.
They are evidence of the time the object has lived through, and a point at which we decide whether to continue using it.
By accepting that things can break, we create space to think about how to repair them and how to live with them.
Through objects, kintsugi quietly asks a deeper question:
how do we continue our relationship with the things around us?