Filtering & Storage

Raw and pigmented urushi both need to be strained before use to remove skin, clumped pigment, and debris that would otherwise show up as grit in the finish.

• Yoshino-gami paper — traditional fine straining paper. Pigmented urushi should always be pushed through it before application. (Tamenuri Studio)
• Uma / urushi-koshiki — a dedicated straining rig that holds the filter paper under pressure as urushi is worked through it by hand. (~¥12,480, Urushi Tsutsumi)
• Storage — keep unused urushi in small, airtight, opaque containers; only decant what you need for a session, since repeated air exposure of a large stock degrades it faster than using it from small sealed portions.