tsugi meaning “to join.”
First seen in the 15th century, the craft is an expression of the Japanese philosophy of resilience through a repair process that turns something damaged usually pottery, but it can be anything into something precious.
Lacquer masters practice the ancient art, and their expertise lies in reassembling the many components of a fractured item before the fast-drying lacquer bonds forever. Once the adhesive paste is applied to an item, it is left to dry for
several weeks. Then the glue is sanded down to lie flush with the surface. At this point, a master craftsman beautifies the now-smooth seams by applying gold, silver, or platinum to them.