Japan In Focus

Heirs to Kyoto Talent: Mother-of-pearl Inlay Artisan Adds Sparkle of Shells to Lacquered Base with Confidence

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Raden artisan Mari Nomura carefully removes excess lacquer from the shell surface with a small knife in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto.

By Seira Unegochi / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

11:00 JST, March 21, 2026

KYOTO — Using chisels and small knives, artisan Mari Nomura cut the thin pearl inner layer of an abalone shell into small pieces. She then carefully picked up each piece with the tip of a skewer and, one by one, placed them gently on a lacquered wooden base. By arranging them while taking into account the angle of the light, even pieces measuring just a few millimeters sparkled brilliantly in blue and green.

Nomura, 41, works on the art of raden — a mother-of-pearl inlay technique — which has been cherished since ancient times. She vividly creates not only traditional Japanese patterns but also modern motifs, such as rose petals, hearts and geometric designs, breathing new life into the old art.

Path to artisanship

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Shells used for raden. From front: abalone produced overseas, abalone produced in Japan and great green turban.

Her base of operations is Saga Raden Nomura, a workshop located in front of Seiryoji temple in the Sagano area of Ukyo Ward, Kyoto. It was founded in 1910 by her great-grandfather. As a child, Nomura was barred from entering the workshop because she was told “lacquer causes skin irritation.”

“I never thought about the family business,” she said.

After graduating from university, she joined a trading company. Later she changed jobs and got involved in developing traditional craft products, beginning her life’s intersection with the family business.

At work, she often saw a variety of artisans, concerned about the future of their fields, actively proposing ideas for new products.

“If you take the initiative to make changes, it can expand the possibilities for traditional crafts,” she recalled thinking. That feeling eventually gave her a hint for her future path.

After her work contract expired, Nomura returned home and began helping out at the family business. She soon realized that many people were unaware of raden; many did not even know how to read its name in kanji. Recalling the artisans she had met in her previous job, she focused on creating a website and posting on social media to make raden better known.

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Nomura cuts a shell into small pieces, each about several millimeters.

Her efforts paid off. While only 10 or so people used to participate in the shop’s trial workshop annually, the number increased to 50 times that within the year.

“If you can work that hard, why not try making raden pieces yourself?” a friend suggested.

Encouraged by those words, she became an artisan at 28. She learned the techniques from scratch from her father Mamoru, now 67, who is a certified master of traditional crafts.

Lacquer is a delicate material that reacts to even the slightest changes in humidity or temperature, which can alter drying times and finishes. Nomura experimented over and over in various conditions and meticulously recorded each step in her notebook. Eventually, she learned how to handle lacquer properly.

Changing customer base

When Nomura started her career, her shop’s major customer base was comprised of wealthy elderly women. Wanting people from her own generation to use her products, she launched her brand, creating delicate, small earrings and necklaces designed to complement Western clothes.

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Nomura’s finished raden works, which will be made into earrings or necklaces

In 2014, Nomura collaborated with her father to create a rose-themed piece of jewelry and entered it into a competition aimed at supporting young artisans. She was only responsible for cutting and attaching the shell, one of about 30 steps, but the piece won the runner-up prize. The modern pieces have gained popularity among young women, and the shop’s customer base has changed.

At one point, however, she did not have enough time to devote to her work due to giving birth to and raising her two children, which made her feel anxious about the gap.

Despite this, a crowdfunding campaign to showcase her work raised double the target amount. She received comments like “Your work is wonderful” and “I’ve always been interested in your work.”

Nomura was encouraged by the comments and felt that “raden can even move the hearts of modern people.”

In 2016, her brother Takuya, 38, also joined the workshop.

Having engaged in a bit of friendly competition with him to hone her skills, Nomura now manages the shop’s social media sites, which have over 60,000 followers. By posting on social media, she has attracted a larger number of young customers who purchase her products for important life milestones.

“I was able to fulfill one of my dreams,” Nomura said.

Currently, she strives to create her works while thinking about how to reflect her customers’ requests. Responding to requests from long-standing customers, she developed a new product last year: an improved version of her brand’s debut piece.

“I want to create things for everyday use, and pieces that pass on the raden craft to the next generation,” she said.

Her eyes shone with the confidence that comes from determination.

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If you are interested in the original Japanese version of this story, click here.