"Kiji Kougei"
I asked him how we should call his technique. His father was a genuine 'kiji-shi', and only made 'kiji'(wooden basis). Watanabe san was also 'kiji-shi' when he was young, and he is certified as traditional craftsman of making kiji. But now he makes kiji, and also coat them with urushi by himself.
`Well known word doesn't exist, but if I must name my work, it will be 'Kiji Kougei'. ( 'Kougei' means handicraft.
In his work shop, he showed me his incredible 'rokuro' work. He has lots of good wood stocks, which he inherited from his father. He touches turning wood with a gear lightly, turning wood changes its form perceptively.
With using original gages, he makes the precisely same form at incredible speed. He says he has absolute aplomb about speed and preciseness of his rokuro' work. He coats his kiji with natural urushi. He coats all kiji more than several times ! He coats, dry and polishes, and repeats this method several times. His urushi surface has very deep, clear and characteristic urushi colors. His origin is kiji-shi so beyond the urushi coat, grains of zelkova, chestnut or other woods can be seen. To make wood strong he sometimes add fabrics ('nunome') on the hems and bottom and coated with urushi. Nunome also gives interesting accent on the wares. He doesn't agree, but I think he also has good design sense. Especially his 'Katakuchi-bachi'(lipped bowl) has great charm - bold chisel but surface, round rokuro bottom and inside has strong and exotic atmosphere, and must be good sake pitcher.
I think his product can be put more expensive prices same as other popular urushi Artists(not Artisan). But he says he wants to please customers by offering genuine urushi wares at moderate prices, and keep to make more items with his father's stocks.