Steel and Urushi
Full Set. A deep black that stays black.
Dishwasher-safe
THE URUSHI · Full Set from $149 · Funded · Live on Kickstarter until Nov 14 Full Set from $149 Funded · Ends Nov 14
Back on Kickstarter
Live on Kickstarter · Ends Nov 14
Two crafts in every piece.
Shaped by specialist makers across Japan. Finished by hand in real urushi lacquer in Kyoto.
- Full Set from $149 on Kickstarter (retail $198)
- Stainless pieces go in the dishwasher
- Ships worldwide · Est. delivery March 2027
Back THE URUSHI on Kickstarter
Funded on Kickstarter · Lacquered in Kyoto since 1830 · The urushi coating on our stainless pieces passed independent testing to US FDA 21 CFR 175.300
See the two crafts
01 · Two crafts
Four regions shape it. Kyoto finishes it.
Every piece is made twice. Specialist makers across Japan shape the base; our lacquerers in Kyoto finish it by hand in real urushi.
Did you know? Urushi is natural tree sap. In Europe, lacquerware was once simply called “japan.”
Wood and Urushi
Chopsticks Classic. The only piece that changes color.
Hand wash only
See how tame-nuri changes
Stone and Urushi
Stone rest, from makers of tableware for Michelin-starred restaurants.
Hand wash
Washi and Urushi
Placemat. Honminoshi is UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Washable with water
Chopsticks Classic · Tame-nuri
It doesn't simply age. It evolves.
Our wooden Chopsticks Classic are finished in tame-nuri: translucent urushi over a red base, 10+ coats. They start near-black and slowly clear so the warm red comes through.
Only the wooden Chopsticks Classic change color. Stainless pieces stay deep black.
Chopsticks Classic come in the Four Elements Set, from $360 on Kickstarter (retail $514).
See the Four Elements Set02 · Made in Kyoto
Finished by hand in Kyoto, since 1830.
Made by Wakabayashi Butsugu Mfg. Co., Ltd., lacquerers to Buddhist altars and restorers of national treasures.
Watch the workshop film- 1830Founded in Kyoto
- 6 roundsHeat-cured, on every stainless piece
- 10+ coatsOn Chopsticks Classic
01 Mix
02 Brush by hand
03 Heat-cure
04 Row after row
03 · Made to be used
Yakitsuke: urushi, cured by heat.
Heat-cured urushi on steel, stone and washi. At 120–170°C (about 250–340°F), the urushi turns tough almost instantly, a technique roughly 500 years old. On the stainless pieces: coated and heat-cured six times, three rounds for each half.
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Dishwasher-safe
Stainless pieces
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Hand wash only
Wooden Chopsticks Classic
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No special care
Use, wash, repeat
Soft at the lip, where bare steel is cold.
Back THE URUSHI on Kickstarter04 · Compare
Not all black cutlery is the same.
Traditional urushiware
- Real urushi
- Yes
- Dishwasher
- Hand wash only
- At the lips
- Soft, gentle
- Over the years
- Clears, deepens
Black-coated steel
- Real urushi
- No, synthetic
- Dishwasher
- Check the label
- At the lips
- Varies
- Over the years
- Varies
THE URUSHI
- Real urushi
- Yes
- Dishwasher
- Yes (stainless)
- At the lips
- Soft, gentle
- Over the years
- Stays deep black*
General comparison of finish types. * Wooden Chopsticks Classic slowly clear to warm red and are hand wash only.
05 · On Kickstarter
Choose your set.
Three Kickstarter prices, all below retail. The lowest, Super Early Bird, is open now and limited.
Start here
Full Set
Chopsticks, rest, spoon, fork. Stainless, dishwasher-safe. Gift box.
Open now · lowest price
Super Early Bird
$149 Retail $198
25% off · limited
- Early Bird$15920% off · limited
- Kickstarter Special$16915% off · limited
All or nothing · You're charged only if the campaign succeeds, when it ends Nov 14 · Est. delivery March 2027 · Ships worldwide
More sets
ChooseFull Set ×2
One to keep, one to give.
from $278 · 30% off · limited · retail $396
ChooseFour Elements Set
Chopsticks Classic, stone rest, washi placemat, spoon, fork.
from $360 · 30% off · limited · retail $514
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Choose
Spoon & Fork Set
$72 · 20% off · retail $89
-
Choose
2-Pair Chopsticks Set
$68 · 20% off · retail $85
-
Choose
Full Set ×4
$515 · 35% off
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Choose
Full Set ×10
$1,188 · 40% off
Kickstarter shows this campaign in Japanese yen, the project's currency, with an approximate amount in your currency. You're charged the reward's listed yen amount when the campaign ends, converted by your card issuer.
Shipping for your country is shown on Kickstarter when you choose a reward. Import duties or taxes may apply depending on your country.
Live funding status on Kickstarter
06 · Questions
Before you back it.
Can it go in the dishwasher?
The stainless steel pieces can. The wooden Chopsticks Classic are hand wash only. Wash the stone rest by hand; the washi placemat is washable with water, by hand.
Is it real urushi?
Yes. Natural sap of the Japanese lacquer tree, brushed on by hand in Kyoto. Not paint, not a synthetic coating.
Will the color change?
Only on the wooden Chopsticks Classic: they slowly clear from near-black to warm red. The stainless pieces stay deep black.
How do I care for Chopsticks Classic?
Hand wash with mild soap, rinse, and dry. No soaking, no dishwasher, no microwave.
Is it safe to eat with?
Yes. The urushi coating on our stainless steel pieces passed independent testing to US FDA 21 CFR 175.300 for food-contact coatings, and to California Prop 65 lead limits. Fully cured urushi has been used on Japanese tableware for centuries. If you are sensitive to lacquer, please contact us before backing.
Shipping, customs and duties?
We ship worldwide. Shipping for your country is shown on Kickstarter. Import duties or taxes may apply depending on your country.
Why does Kickstarter show prices in yen?
We're based in Kyoto, so the campaign runs in Japanese yen, the project's currency. Kickstarter shows each reward in yen with an approximate amount in your own currency, and each reward description also lists its US$ price (Full Set Super Early Bird: $149). When the campaign ends, you're charged the reward's listed amount in yen; your card issuer converts it at its own rate, so your statement can differ slightly from the estimate, and some banks add a foreign transaction fee.
When will it arrive, and what are the risks?
Estimated delivery is March 2027. Every piece is finished by hand, so if a step takes longer than planned, we'll tell backers early in Kickstarter updates. The campaign is all or nothing and already funded; you're charged when it ends on Nov 14.
Ends Nov 14 · 9:00 AM ET
Two crafts. One table.
Bring real urushi back to the everyday table. Open until Nov 14.
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Not ready yet? Get one reminder before it ends.
THE URUSHI by Wakabayashi Butsugu Mfg. Co., Ltd., Kyoto · Founded 1830