Advanced Kintsugi: Traditional Method (4-Week Course)

Anyone who took the Kinstugi for Beginners workshop is welcome to take this small group advanced Kintsugi session.
About this Event

For those who have completed Kintsugi for Beginners and wish to deepen their practice, this small-group, four-session course offers an immersive exploration of traditional Japanese Kintsugi using all-natural materials and centuries-old techniques.

Unlike modern Kintsugi methods that rely on contemporary adhesives, participants in this course will work with authentic urushi (Japanese lacquer tree sap), rice flour, tonoko (fired clay powder), wood powders, and gold finishing materials. Students will learn how broken ceramics were traditionally repaired in Japan and gain hands-on experience with each stage of the process.

Course Schedule

This course meets on four consecutive Thursdays:

• Week 1: October 15
• Week 2: October 22
• Week 3: October 29
• Week 4: November 5

Because traditional Kintsugi requires curing time between stages, each session builds upon the work completed during the previous week.

Over four weeks, participants will:

• Join broken ceramic pieces using traditional mugi-urushi (urushi mixed with flour)

• Learn how to use a moisture box for proper curing

• Fill losses and rebuild missing areas using traditional natural materials

• Refine surfaces through shaping and sanding

• Apply urushi finishing layers

• Complete repairs with gold finishing techniques that highlight rather than conceal the history of the object

Students may bring their own broken ceramic pieces or work with ceramics supplied by the instructor. Because traditional Kintsugi requires curing time between stages, participants will leave each session with work in progress and continue the next step during the following class.

Kintsugi is more than a repair technique—it is a philosophy that embraces imperfection, transformation, and care. Rather than disguising damage, Kintsugi honors the story of an object by making its repairs visible, allowing brokenness and repair to become part of its beauty.

This course is ideal for students who wish to move beyond introductory Kintsugi and experience the traditional Japanese process in greater depth.

Materials

Students will purchase one of the following options during the first class:

Traditional Kintsugi Materials Pack ($50)

Includes the specialized Japanese materials used throughout the course:

• Urushi (Japanese lacquer)
• Tonoko (fired clay powder)
• Kiko (wood powder)
• Bengara (red iron oxide pigment)
• Gold finishing material
• Mawata silk

Students choosing this option will receive a supply list prior to the course and should provide their own commonly available tools and consumables, such as sandpaper, brushes, spatulas, masking tape, gloves, bamboo sticks, and paint thinner.

Complete Traditional Kintsugi Kit ($90)

Includes all specialized Japanese materials listed above, plus a selection of tools and supplies needed for the course, including brushes, spatulas, sandpaper, bamboo sticks, and other commonly used Kintsugi tools.

A limited number of complete kits will be available (up to four kits) and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students may also bring and use their own tools if preferred.

Please note: Urushi is a natural lacquer and may cause skin irritation in some individuals. Long sleeves and gloves are required. An alternative lacquer derived from mango sap may be available for students with sensitivities.

Prerequisite: Completion of Kintsugi for Beginners or equivalent experience approved by the instructor.

About the instructor:

Mami Takahashi is a Japanese multidisciplinary artist and a scholar working at multiple citiesincluding Portland, Chicago and Tokyo. She received her MFA in Contemporary Studio Practice from Portland State University in 2013 and earned a BFA in Japanese Painting from Joshibi University of Art and Design in Japan. For more details, visit https://mamitakahashi.art/

With ongoing artistic research, practice, and teaching, Takahashi explores different approaches to actualize Japanese aesthetics to enhance cultural perspectives to many U.S. communities. At JAF, she is expanding her creativity to incorporate more specific discourses around society, past and present via a lens of Japanese art. Takahashi also aims to connect between Japan and communities in Chicago by teaching traditional and modern art-making techniques.