If you’ve ever been to a sushi restaurant, chances are you’ve come in contact with the all-natural decorative and protective coating known as Urushi. Sourced from Urushi trees, this ‘natural wonder’ material was first used as an adhesive when making spears and arrows back in the stone age. Today, the liquid is applied to everything from wood and metal to cloth and ceramics. Once dry, the liquid becomes a hard and durable coating that waterproofs and protects objects from mold, mildew, and weathering. In this inspiring video from Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kishida, we get a look behind the scenes of the incredible amount of detail and patience that goes into the craft.
(Feature Image via Hirokzu Kishida)