About Maruyoshi Kosaka
Kiso-Hirasawa is a small town along the old Nakasendo highway, surrounded by the deep forests of the Kiso Valley in Nagano Prefecture.
The history of Maruyoshi Kosaka began here in 1945.
As a branch of the Kosaka family, who had been in the lacquerware business for generations, the founder, Yoshio Kosaka, established a lacquer priming and top-coating business, laying the foundation for Maruyoshi Kosaka.
The second-generation head, Yasuto Kosaka, who had helped with his father's work since childhood, further integrated the technique of *kuro-roiro-nuri* (a glossy black lacquer finish), which represents the pinnacle of top-coating methods. Through this, he played a vital role in this major production hub as a craftsman of commercial-use lacquerware. Later, in the early 1990s, turning the collapse of the bubble economy into an opportunity, he made a major strategic shift toward in-house manufacturing and sales.
The third-generation head, Reo Kosaka, took over the business bringing with him woodworking expertise. He has polished the history built by his predecessors, evolving the traditions of Kiso lacquerware through lacquer and woodwork to fit into a contemporary context.
To learn more about the creation of these collaboration items, please also read our feature article covering our interview with Maruyoshi Kosaka.
