Turned zelkova or cypress wood substrates are reinforced at fragile rims with hemp cloth soaked in raw urushi sap, then built up across more than one hundred cured layers cured inside humidified cedar muro cabinets—urushi hardens by enzymatic oxidation in moisture rather than evaporation. 1
Surfaces are inlaid with chinkin gold-leaf engraving or maki-e sprinkled gold powder. 1
