Kamakura-bori Kaikan

Kamakura-bori is a lacquerwork tradition that has been practiced in this city for around 800 years, and this building is its main center. The technique involves carving deep relief patterns into katsura wood, then applying layered coats of lacquer that build up slowly over weeks. Workshops teach the carving stage, letting visitors work a wooden plate or small tray with traditional chisels. Upstairs, the gallery displays historic and contemporary pieces that show the range of what the craft can achieve, from functional tableware to sculptural objects.