Model Hikari Mori (34) appeared on Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's long-running talk show "Tetsuko's Room" (TV Asahi) on June 24th, where she revealed her fascination with urushi (lacquer), a traditional Japanese craft.
"I was fortunate to have opportunities to go to various places through my work, but time was moving so fast that I treated everything carelessly," Mori said, reflecting on her twenties. When she went to Paris, she acquired a beautiful vase, but broke it while packing.
"It was a real eye-opener for me. I realized that I had become a bit careless with how I used my time and how I treated things. That's when I learned about kintsugi (gold repair)."
When Ms. Mori visited a professional kintsugi (gold repair) craftsman, she learned that broken parts are repaired with lacquer. "I was amazed by the lacquer plant. I became curious about the idea of repairing things and incorporating them into daily life," she said.
After restoring a vase, Ms. Mori became fascinated by the allure of lacquer and went to visit a craftsman. The craftsman had told her, "Lacquer is an amazing plant, but be sure to wear gloves and handle it carefully while protecting yourself," but she had an allergic reaction when handling lacquer at home.
"It was the first time I'd ever had a rash. But somehow I felt like the lacquer was scolding me, telling me not to treat it so carelessly. When I contacted the craftsman, he said, 'You've finally received your baptism of fire from the lacquer,'" he revealed with a smile.
