The origin of Wakasa lacquerware patterns lies in the sea of Wakasa, present-day Fukui Prefecture. The designs represent ocean scenes like the grains of sand on a beach, light glistening off the ocean water, and patterns on the seafloor.

By the Edo period, you had about 200 Wakasa patterns to choose from. For example, you could go with “Night Sea,” which looked like the sea illuminated by moonlight. Wakasa lacquerware patterns often used the seasonal scenery of Nishizu, like mountains in the summer or spring, roadside grass, or a scene of light snowfall. It may be hard to tell, but surely the history of Kitamae-bune and Nishizu is also reflected in the Wakasa designs.

As you walk around town, try to find a scene that you might imagine as a motif for Wakasa lacquerware. You could even say that the history of Nishizu has been repainted and polished to a sparkle, just like the lacquerware it’s known for.