Cutting Board Made by Wajima Lacquerware Craftsmen

[Good blade contact and the sharpness of the knife does not deteriorate easily.]
If the cutting board is too hard, the blade of the knife is easily damaged, and if it is too soft, knife marks are easily left on the chopping board. The hiba (cypress) used for the "Noto Hiba wiping-lacquered one-ply chopping board" has elasticity with an exquisite hardness that is not too hard and not too soft, and it gently receives the kitchen knife so that the blade contact is outstanding. It is hard to damage the knife and keeps it sharp for a long time. The hiba also has little bounce, so you can cut without unnecessary effort and your arm will not tire easily, making it an excellent choice for professional chefs.

[Good drainage and fast drying.]
The surface of this chopping board has a wiping-lacquered finish, which repels water and dries quickly and hygienically due to good drainage. It is coated with natural lacquer using the Wajima lacquerware technique, which prevents water and oil from penetrating into the wood and repels water well, which can also be expected to inhibit the establishment of odours.
Hiba (cypress) is also water-resistant and rot-resistant, and was used in the past to make ships and bath tubs. Furthermore, it is extremely durable. If used carefully, a 3 cm thick piece can be shaved every 10-15 years and used for many more decades.
It is made from natural hiba birch from Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, which has been dried thoroughly over a period of two years so that deformation and other distortions are unlikely to appear. The sloping design makes it easy to clean and transfer food, with the soup flowing in one direction when cutting.

[Always clean as it is self-supporting]
Cutting boards are difficult to place, but we put legs on them so that they can be stood up anywhere. Even if there is no chopping board stand, it stands on its own and both sides can be dried firmly. It is designed so that it can stand by making a little space, and when it stands, the bottom is prevented from touching the ground, and because the breeding of bacteria by the adhesion of dirt can be prevented in the minimum ground contact area, it can be used cleanly.
Some people may not feel comfortable placing the chopping board directly in the sink before washing. With this chopping board, it stands on its own in the sink, so there is no need to place it directly in the sink and it can be used cleanly. The size is not too big and not too small, 40 cm x 20 cm, just the right size. It is moderately heavy and has a luxurious finish with a 35 mm thickest part.

[Resistant to bacteria and has antibacterial properties.]
Hiba (cypress) is rich in 'hinokitiol', making it one of the most durable and antibacterial woods. For this reason, it is often used as a wooden utensil in the kitchen and around the water, and the hiba bath, a bathtub made of hiba wood or bathrooms boarded up on the interior, is known as a luxurious, fragrant and water-resistant bath. Lacquer has also been proven to have antibacterial properties, so wiped-lacquered chopping boards are said to be hygienic.
*About the antibacterial properties of lacquer, no antibacterial tests have been conducted on this product.

[The warmth of artisans handcrafting each item.]
Because it is something you hold in your hand and use. We want you to enjoy the lightness and ease of use, and richness of using it for many years to come. Each item is handmade with this in mind.

The wood is naturally dried for two years after being sterilised by boiling without using any chemicals or bleach. It is coated with natural lacquer and made from Noto hiba wood and natural lacquer, so it is made from only all-natural materials that are gentle to the earth and to the body. It is a cutting board that can be used for many years and is friendly to both nature and people. The wood has an elegant pale yellow colour and a beautiful, fine-textured surface. The soothing natural beauty gives warmth and brightens up the kitchen. Thanks to the Noto Hiba chopping board, the kitchen becomes bright and cooking becomes fun.

[About lacquer]
The Chinese character 'lacquer' (漆) is made up of the parts 'water' (水), 'wood' (木) and 'human' (人). As the origins of this character indicate, 'lacquer' is the result of 'water', 'wood' and 'human' becoming one.

Lacquer is a natural, health-friendly paint made from the sap of the lacquer tree trunk (raw lacquer) or refined from it. Many people are concerned that lacquer may cause a rash, but this is only the case when the lacquer is in its sap state and there is little risk of a rash once it has dried completely.

The sap from the lacquer tree is, to put it simply, like Canadian maple syrup. Lacquer is described as drying, but it dries by absorbing moisture from the air and hardening. Also, only about 200 g of lacquer can be extracted from a lacquer tree grown for 20 years. Lacquer is made by scratching the lacquer tree and the sap that the tree produces to form a pressure sore to protect the wound. However, if too many wounds are made, the tree weakens and dies, so only 200 g can be extracted from a tree grown for 20 years, making it a precious natural resource.
*Dried lacquer basically does not cause rashes, but in very rare cases, some people may not be constitutionally compatible with it.

[About lacquering]
Lacquer serves as a paint and adhesive, and its use in Japan has been confirmed since the Jomon period (approx. 13,000 to 23,000 yeas ago). Due to its robustness, durability and ease of decoration, it has been used in a wide range of lacquerware, from soup bowls used daily and stacked boxes used for festive occasions, to buildings, Buddhist statues and works of art representing various periods, supporting Japanese life and culture to the present day. The lacquer coating hardens about a year after completion, making it more durable, and the more it is used, the more its colour and gloss increase, and it also has a high adhesive capacity and is used for gold-jointing.

Lacquer coating is a technique of repeatedly applying and wiping the lacquer, which allows the grain of the wood to show through and gives it a beautiful sheen. The process of applying raw lacquer, wiping with a cloth and allowing to dry allows the lacquer to soak into the wood, making it strong and repelling water and oil.

[History of Wajima-nuri lacquerware]
Wajima-nuri lacquerware was born from the connection between the natural features of Noto and its people.
Wajima-nuri is considered the representative of Japanese lacquerware, but the technique was established in the Edo period (1603-1867), and its remote location away from the capital has forced it to differentiate itself from other renowned lacquerware production areas such as Kyoto. Wajima-nuri, which emerged relatively late, was the first in the country to be designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property and has grown to become Japan's number one in terms of production output.