If you have never owned Japanese lacquerware before, it is easy to assume that Kamakura-bori must be difficult to care for.
It is carved by hand. It is finished with urushi lacquer. Some pieces take weeks to make. That can make an ordinary serving plate feel like something you should handle as little as possible.
But Kamakura-bori was not made only to sit behind glass.
Sansuido, the Kamakura-bori shop behind Tabibito's first collection, explicitly says that its pieces can be washed with ordinary dish detergent and encourages people to use Kamakura-bori at the everyday table. The Traditional Kamakura-bori Cooperative gives similarly simple guidance: wash gently with neutral (pH 6~8 range) dish soap, use a soft cloth or the soft side of a sponge, and dry with a soft cloth.
(That said, I prefer using cold or warm water only. And use dish soap only if needed. I'd never use a rough sponge or brush.)
So the basic rule is reassuringly simple:
Use it. Wash it gently. Dry it promptly. Keep it away from harsh heat, abrasives, and prolonged direct sunlight.
That is most of what you need to know.
If you are new to the craft itself, start with What Is Kamakura-bori?. If you are wondering how a carved lacquer plate can fit into ordinary American life, see How to Use Kamakura-bori in a Modern Home.
After using Kamakura-bori, hand-wash it gently
For serving plates, trays, bowls, and other tableware, hand washing is the normal approach.
Use:
- ordinary neutral dishwashing detergent when needed;
- a soft cloth or the soft side of a sponge;
- water that is comfortable for normal hand washing.
There is no need to scrub the carved surface aggressively.
The Traditional Kamakura-bori Cooperative specifically advises against scrub brushes, abrasive cleaning powder, and dishwashers because they can damage the surface. Sansuido likewise says ordinary dish detergent is acceptable when a piece needs washing.
The carving can make food look as though it might become trapped in every groove, but the answer is not to attack those grooves with something hard. Let water and gentle washing do the work.
Do not leave it soaking for a long time
Kamakura-bori is lacquered wood, not ceramic.
The Kamakura-bori Kaikan's official online shop advises against leaving pieces submerged in water for a long period. Another Kamakura-based lacquer workshop notes that brief soaking can be acceptable when necessary, but also cautions against placing lacquerware in a wash basin together with hard ceramic dishes or cooking utensils that can knock against it.
For everyday use, the simplest habit is the best one:
wash the piece after use rather than leaving it sitting in a sink full of water.
If food has dried onto the surface, do not scrape or scour it off. One Kamakura-bori specialist recommends a short soak in lukewarm water to loosen stubborn food before gently washing it away. Treat that as an occasional solution, not the normal storage place for the plate.
Dry it after washing
After rinsing, wipe the piece with a clean, soft, dry cloth.
This is another point on which the Kamakura-bori Cooperative, Kamakura-bori Kaikan, and specialist workshops broadly agree.
Drying by hand has two advantages: it removes water promptly from a wooden object, and it reduces the water marks that can remain when droplets are left to dry on the surface.
You do not need to polish hard. A gentle wipe is enough.
Sansuido also recommends dry-wiping Kamakura-bori with a soft cloth as ordinary maintenance and says this helps preserve the characteristic luster of the surface.
Skip the dishwasher and dish dryer
This is one of the clearest rules.
Do not put Kamakura-bori in a dishwasher or heated dish dryer.
The combination of strong washing, high heat, and intense drying is very different from gentle hand washing. Official Kamakura-bori guidance warns that these appliances can contribute to deterioration, deformation, discoloration, cracking, or loss of finish.
For the same reason, Kamakura-bori should not go into a microwave or oven.
A useful mental shortcut is:
treat it as lacquered wood, not heatproof ceramic.
That one distinction prevents many of the most avoidable mistakes.
Avoid scrubbers, abrasives, and hard impacts
The lacquer surface is durable enough for real use, but durability does not mean that it cannot be scratched.
Avoid:
- abrasive cleaning powders;
- steel wool or hard scrubbers;
- the rough side of an aggressive kitchen sponge;
- scraping dried food away with a hard tool;
- dropping the piece or letting heavy tableware strike it.
Kamakura-based makers also caution that weight and impact can deform or damage a wooden piece.
That does not mean Kamakura-bori cannot share a table with ceramic plates, glassware, or metal flatware. It simply means you should treat the surface with the same common sense you would use with any object whose finish you care about.
Keep it away from prolonged direct sunlight and strong heat
When you are not using the piece, avoid storing it where strong direct sunlight falls on it for long periods.
Both Sansuido and the Traditional Kamakura-bori Cooperative warn that direct sunlight can cause discoloration. The Kamakura-bori Kaikan also notes that ultraviolet exposure and excessive dryness can accelerate deterioration and contribute to fading or deformation.
A plate displayed on a sideboard or shelf is fine. Just do not choose a location where harsh sun hits it day after day.
Likewise, keep it away from open flame and strong heat sources.
This matters for Tabibito because I like the idea of leaving a beautiful serving plate visible even when it is not being used. The answer is not to hide it in a box. It is simply to choose a sensible place for it.
Can you put food directly on Kamakura-bori?
Kamakura-bori includes tableware made for use, and Kamakura-bori specialists explicitly describe serving food on lacquered pieces as part of normal life.
For the serving plates I chose for Tabibito, that everyday usefulness is one of the reasons I was drawn to them in the first place.
Japanese sweets, fruit, cake, cookies, cheese, small appetizers, or food for friends can turn the object from something you admire into something that participates in your life.
Follow any product-specific instructions that come with your piece, since different forms and finishes can have their own limitations.
What about scratches and wear?
A handmade object that is used will not remain visually frozen forever.
That is different from neglect.
My friend Goro Koizumi at Sansuido has encouraged me to think of Kamakura-bori as something to live with rather than something to keep untouched. The Kamakura-bori Cooperative also notes that lacquerware develops more character through use, and other Kamakura-bori makers describe the way luster and surface expression can deepen over time.
I find that distinction important.
A scratch caused by careless scouring is avoidable damage. The gradual signs of years of thoughtful use are part of an object's life.
The goal of care is not to stop time.
It is to let the piece age through use rather than through unnecessary abuse.
If a piece is damaged, repair may be possible
A crack, chip, or worn lacquer surface does not necessarily mean the end of a Kamakura-bori piece.
Sansuido says it handles repairs for damaged pieces and can also re-lacquer surfaces that have worn through long use, depending on the condition of the object. Other Kamakura workshops likewise note that some lacquerware can be repaired.
If something significant happens to a piece, avoid experimenting with household glue or aggressive refinishing before speaking with the maker or an experienced lacquerware professional.
For a Tabibito piece, the sensible first step is to document the condition clearly and ask what options are appropriate for that particular object.
A simple Kamakura-bori care routine
You do not need to memorize a long list of rules.
For most everyday use, remember five things:
- Use it. Kamakura-bori tableware does not need to be saved only for special occasions.
- Hand-wash gently. Neutral dish soap and a soft sponge or cloth are enough.
- Dry it promptly. Wipe away water with a soft dry cloth.
- Avoid harsh treatment. No dishwasher, dish dryer, microwave, oven, abrasive cleaner, or hard scrubber.
- Store it sensibly. Keep it away from prolonged direct sunlight, strong heat, and unnecessary impact.
That is not a burdensome care routine.
It is a small amount of attention for an object made from wood, carving, lacquer, and human time.
And I think that small ritual can be part of the pleasure.
You use the plate. You wash it. You dry it with your hands. You put it back on the table or shelf.
Then one day you realize it is no longer simply a piece of Kamakura-bori you bought.
It is the plate you have been using for years.
