Deceased Artisan’s Parents Receive Her Maki-E Art from Princess Akiko

By Fumiyuki Takemura / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

20:00 JST, March 22, 2025

SANDA, Hyogo — A maki-e jigsaw puzzle, made by a female artisan who died in the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January last year, has been gifted to her parents from Princess Akiko.

Maki-e is a decorative lacquerware technique that uses gold, silver and other colored powder. Reina Shimada, a Wajima maki-e artisan from Sanda, Hyogo Prefecture, died at the age of 36 in a massive fire caused by the quake.

The puzzle was presented to the late Princess Yuriko of Mikasa for her 100th birthday by her granddaughter Princess Akiko.

Princess Yuriko passed away in November last year, and Princess Akiko, out of sympathy for the artisan’s parents, gifted the puzzle to them in December.

Shimada’s father Tomio, 74, and his wife, Yuko, 66, said they are grateful for the thoughtful consideration of Princess Akiko.

Promising craftsperson

Shimada became fascinated with maki-e after learning about it during a high school art class. She studied the craft at the Ishikawa Prefectural Wajima Institute of Lacquer Arts in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture. After graduating, she apprenticed with a maki-e artist in the city. 

After graduation, she became independent in 2018, and set up a home and workshop in a renovated traditional Japanese house near the Asaichi-dori area where the Wajima Morning Market was held. Due to her distinctive designs and unique use of color, she received many orders and was becoming renowned as a craftsperson who would carry on the tradition of maki-e. 

Tomio and Yuko were devastated by her death. They had wanted to cheer her on as she aimed to fulfill her dreams and continue working in Wajima, away from her hometown.

100-piece jigsaw puzzle 

Around the end of November, the couple received unexpected news from the lacquer art group Shimada belonged to, Hikoju Makie. They were told Princess Akiko wanted to return the jigsaw puzzle to Shimada’s grieving parents.

Although they initially thought it was too great of an honor, the couple received the jigsaw puzzle in December. 

Princess Akiko requested the puzzle be made as a gift for Princess Yuriko, who celebrated her 100th birthday in June 2023. The artwork is a square with 45-centimeter-long sides and is made up of 100 pieces, marking the centenary of the princess.

The design on the puzzle features lilies with five butterflies flying around them, which is intended to represent Princess Yuriko, as her name means lily, and her five children.

According to Hikoju Makie, it took two years to complete the work, and six craftspeople were involved in the creation for processes such as undercoating and overcoating. Shimada was responsible for the maki-e due to her high level of technique in creating vivid colors. 

Shimada spent several months drawing and coloring a design based on an original drawing by Japanese-style painter Tomoyuki Kanbe.

“She tested different mixtures of colors and hues again and again since the color of lacquer subtly changes depending on the humidity and temperature,” said Hikoju Makie manager Teiren Taka, 50. “I remember seeing her finishing the picture of leaves and flowers in soft shades.” 

“I heard from others that Reina had worked on something for someone of high standing, but this is the first time I have seen the work in person. I think she worked hard with a sense of pride,” Yuko said.