One afternoon in the tenth month of October, I flew to Toyama.

I love Toyama, and it's one of the towns I'd like to live in someday. Looking out at the Tateyama mountain range and talking to the kind people of Toyama always puts my heart at ease.

The workshop of up-and-coming lacquer artist Mr. Murata is located in Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture, a region rich in greenery.

Mr. Murata, who loves his hometown and always has a friendly smile, is also earnestly engaged in the painstaking process of carefully carving wood such as magnolia and maple and meticulously applying layers of lacquer.

His lacquerware is composed of uniquely beautiful and flowing lines and surfaces.

The theme of that work is "shadow."

He sees this as an ancient Japanese aesthetic, and he expresses the fleeting beauty that nature reveals through deep black and the shadows it casts.

The artwork on the reverse side, "Silhouette -Towering-", is said to represent the reverence and faith that people living in Toyama have for the mountains.

Now, in this exhibition, the second at our gallery in four years, we will be showcasing the latest works, including objects, small lidded containers and vessels with a "droplet" motif, and more.40A few items will arrive from Toyama.

I apologize for bothering you during your busy schedule, but I would be delighted if you could take a look.

Shop owner Takashi Yasuda