IN 1883 Yoshida 1 discovered, in the latex of the Japanese lacquer tree (Rhus vernicifera), a thermolabile substance which was responsible for the darkening and hardening of the lacquer.

Only under those conditions is urushiol, a lipid that makes up a large portion of Japanese lacquer, oxidatively polymerized by laccase. This is followed by an auto-oxidation reaction that slowly ...

A rare opportunity to try an ancient Japanese craft ... He explains that urushi lacquer — a varnish produced by the sap of the urushi tree — is resistant to water, acid and bacteria, making ...