Yukio Honma is a fellow student of Tomoya Akaji, a Living National Treasure in lacquerware, and we have known each other for over twenty years. Mr. Honma's work is wide-ranging, mainly focusing on tableware such as bowls, but also including vases, tea ceremony utensils, and furniture.
Maintaining the integrity of a true lacquer craftsman, he has established a magnificent lacquerware workshop and is steadily increasing the number of fans of Honma lacquerware throughout Japan. What is truly admirable is that he himself sought land in Okukuji, Ibaraki Prefecture, planted lacquer tree saplings, and uses the sap from those trees for his work. Furthermore, he has established an NPO called "Ichikiro no Kai" and is passionately dedicated to producing truly high-quality Japanese lacquer.
I am also a member of that association, and I am always impressed by the robustness of the lacquer film and the strong energy of the lacquer that emanates from it. Even among Japanese lacquer, there are great differences in quality depending on how it is cultivated.
There is one more thing that I truly envy. It is that the eldest son, Shigetaka, acts as the right-hand man, protecting the lacquer workshop, while the second son, Kenji, protects the lacquer forest and dedicates himself to turning the wood that forms the base of the pieces. I would be delighted if the Honma Workshop, working together as a family, could create works that are firmly grounded and that, through their daily lives, allow as many people as possible to appreciate the true beauty of lacquerware.

Iwao Ikeda, lacquer artist

Born in Tokyo in 1940.
Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Department of Lacquer Art.
"Tea Ceremony Lacquerware: Natsume (tea caddy)" (Tankosha Publishing), and many other publications.

■Brief Biography
Born in Tokyo in 1947.
In 1967, he dropped out of Rikkyo University and studied under the late woodcarver and sculptor Hajime Shibasaki.
In 1982, he became a disciple of the late Tomoya Akachi, a Living National Treasure.
In 1988, she began holding solo exhibitions at "Ogikubo Ginka".
In 1990, the "Kijiru-i Lacquerware Exhibition," a three-person exhibition, was held at the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, and has been held four times since.
In 1992, he established his own lacquer forest in Yamagata-machi, Naka-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture.
Solo exhibition held at the art salon of Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store in 1995.
Held a solo exhibition at Isetan Shinjuku Main Store in 1996. Since then, exhibitions have been held regularly.
Solo exhibition held at Komatsu Craft Space in Akita; subsequent exhibitions held regularly.
Solo exhibition held at the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store's Special Art Gallery in 2000, and has been held regularly since.
A new workshop for lacquer sap and woodturning has been established in Yamagata Town, Ibaraki Prefecture.
Solo exhibition at Hankyu Umeda Main Store, Art Gallery in 2001. Solo exhibition at the craft gallery "Mizutama".
Held a solo exhibition at the Craft Salon of Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store in 2004. Has held numerous other solo exhibitions.
Currently, he is the representative of "Ichikiro no Kai," which supports Japanese lacquerware, and an advisor to the Okukuji Lacquerware Producers' Association.
You can view Yukio Honma 's creative process and philosophy on the Nikkei BP website "The Heart of Skill" (link below).
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/column/wazanokokoro/