Introduction of MEGURU (English)
Introduction of MEGURU (English)
“Meguru” is a social product that solves traditional craft issues with the participation of consumers.
“Meguru”, is made with careful attention towards the perfect touch and feel of the Japanese natural lacquer ware.
The bowls come in a stackable set of three, each serving its own purpose in daily Japanese meals (e.g. rice, miso soup, and “okazu”). Because Meguru embraces the concept of treasuring traditional Japanese craft and having it be reinvented through touch, the feel and shape of the lacquer ware is delicate, smooth, fits perfectly in your palms, making you want to hold them for long periods of time! The soft, gentle curves and silky texture are what makes “Meguru” special.
“Meguru” was designed in collaboration with individuals with heightened sensibility. With the support by staff of Dialogue in the Dark, a social entertainment event, individuals with visual impairments leveraged their heightened sensibility in designing this lacquer ware. After a year and a half of continuous dialogue between artisans and the visually impaired, Meguru was officially launched.
A portion of Meguru’s sales are donated towards the preservation and training of “urushi”, the raw materials used in making this a product of Japan. Through this, Urushi Rocks is also aiming to raise awareness of the decrease in production of lacquer ware made by local and natural resources. Over time, the donations made towards the preservation of urushi can be contributed towards the repair of lacquer ware, which will create job opportunities for up and coming young artisans in the area. As such, “Meguru” is not only a traditional Japanese craft with modern design, but also a product that treasures the artisans, natural resources, and the everyday users in generations to come.
▶ MEGURU Official Online Store
Meguru on NHK-World
This is a video featuring “Meguru” in NHK-World (7 minutes video in English). You can easily understand the collaboration between Dialog in the Dark and Aizu lacquerware.
In the Heart of Aizu
This is a short movie produced by Urushi Rocks with a film director in the US / Seattle in order to let the overseas know the charm of Aizu Urushiware. Three artisans will appear, talking about "charm of tree and lacquer" and "heart of craftsman".
