To perform Kintsugi, a lot of tools and materials are required—about 18 different types, to be exact. Many of these materials are unique, and it can be difficult for beginners to gather them all individually.
That’s why the Tsugu Kit, a bestseller among beginners, is here to help. The kit includes all 18 essential tools and materials needed for Kintsugi. Among these, 11 are consumable items that will be used up during the repair process, while the remaining 7 are tools that can be reused for future repairs.
Now, we often receive questions such as, "What is each of these tools used for?" To answer that, we've prepared detailed information on the tools and materials included in the Tsugu Kit below!
Table of Contents
- Consumable Materials Needed for Kintsugi
- Reusable Tools for Kintsugi
- FAQ Before Purchasing Kintsugi Materials
Consumable Materials Needed for Kintsugi
If you’re repairing tableware that will be used again for eating and drinking, it’s essential to use materials that are safe for use around the mouth.
The Tsugu Kit only contains natural materials that have been used in Japan for generations, ensuring safety even for tableware used by children.
If you run out of these consumables, most of them can be purchased on our online shop. Additionally, all tools and consumables are available at our two Tokyo locations, so there’s no need to worry if you run out.
Let’s dive into the purpose of each consumable material used in Kintsugi.
1. Raw Urushi Lacquer
Raw urushi is the sap collected from lacquer trees native to Japan and China. In Kintsugi, it is used for bonding broken pieces together, filling cracks, and waterproofing the repaired areas. It is an essential natural material used throughout the Kintsugi process.
After one year from the date of manufacture, raw urushi becomes difficult to dry and can lead to unsuccessful repairs. Therefore, it’s recommended to use or replace it within one year, regardless of whether the container has been opened or not. If stored in warm places, even unopened urushi can expand and leak, so it should be discarded after a year.
Check the product: https://kintsugi-kit.com/products/raw-urushi-lacquer-for-kintsugi-and-lacquerware-projects
2. Gold Powder and Silver Powder
Gold powder is used in the final step of Kintsugi. After applying lacquer, gold powder is sprinkled on top, making it look like the cracks are connected with gold. In reality, the gold only adheres to the surface. The Tsugu Kit includes a type of gold powder called "Keshi-powder," which is 23-karat and easy for beginners to handle. This is the most expensive material in the kit and tends to run out quickly. If you run out, gold powder can be purchased separately. Alternatively, you can continue repairs without buying more gold by using finishes like silver powder, black urushi, or red urushi.
The Starter Tsugu Kit and Gold Only Tsugu Kit contain only gold powder, while the Traditional Tsugu Kit include both gold and silver powder. Unlike gold, which doesn’t tarnish, silver changes color over time, similar to silver jewelry. This characteristic makes it ideal for Japanese tableware, as you can enjoy its gradual aging. Whether to use gold or silver is entirely up to personal preference. For example, finishing a blue-patterned dish with silver gives it a refreshing look. The difficulty level for both finishes is the same.
At Tsugu Tsugu, we also sell gold, silver, platinum, and blass powders separately.
3. Wood Powder
Wood powder is fine sawdust used to create a hard putty for filling large missing pieces or deep cracks in pottery. Each craftsman has their own way of making the putty, known as Kokuso.
Check the product: https://kintsugi-kit.com/products/wood-powder-for-kintsugi-12-g-kintsugi-kit-tsugukit-refill
4. Polishing Powder
Polishing powder is the dust produced when sharpening whetstones. It is used to make Sabi Urushi (a paste made by mixing polishing powder with water and lacquer). This paste is applied midway through the Kintsugi process to fill in small uneven areas, which are then smoothed by water sanding after drying.
Check the product: https://kintsugi-kit.com/products/polishing-powder-for-kintsugi-30-g-kintsugi-kit-tsugukit-refill
5. Black Powder
Black powder is a black pigment made from iron oxide. It is mixed with urushi to create black urushi, which is applied over cracks or missing parts for waterproofing and enhanced durability. Multiple layers of black urushi are applied for a smoother and more polished surface. If you wish to finish with silver powder (known as Gin-tsugi), the order of application for bengal-red and black urushi should be reversed, and the silver powder should be sprinkled over the black urushi for a more brilliant result.
However, it is not necessary to finish Kintsugi with gold or silver; black urushi alone can give a chic finish. Choose the finish that best suits your piece. When finishing with black urushi, do not sand it with waterproof sandpaper—just leave it as is.
Check the product: https://kintsugi-kit.com/products/black-and-red-pigments-for-traditional-kintsugi
6. Bengal-red Powder
Did you know that the red color on Japanese temple gates comes from bengal-red urushi? Bengal-red powder is a red pigment made from iron oxide. It is mixed with lacquer to create bengal-red urushi. When you want to finish with gold, this bengal-red urushi is applied, and gold powder is sprinkled on top to fix it in place. This is why the gold shines so brightly.
There are two reasons for applying bengal-red urushi as the final layer:
(1) Gold appears more vivid against a red background
(2) By adding a different color over the previously applied black urushi, you can clearly see where the bengal-red urushi was applied, ensuring no spots are missed.
Whether you finish with gold or silver is up to you. If you prefer silver, reverse the application order and sprinkle silver powder over the black urushi for a radiant result.
Check the product: https://kintsugi-kit.com/products/black-and-red-pigments-for-traditional-kintsugi
7. Sandpaper
Sandpaper is used to smooth the edges of broken pieces and to level the surface after applying the putty called Kokuso. In the Tsugu Kit, we use 320-grit sandpaper that does not require water.
8. Waterproof Sandpaper
Waterproof sandpaper is used to sand dried sabi urushi or black urushi using water. In the Kintsugi process, waterproof sandpaper is used in a later step than regular sandpaper. The Tsugu Kit includes 1000-grit waterproof sandpaper.
9. Silk Ball
The silk ball is made from silk and is used for delicate finishing. It is essential for applying fine gold or silver powder to final layer of urushi. The silk ball in the kit is already cleaned and free of debris. To avoid contamination, store it in the provided pouch before and after use. Use separate silk ball for gold and silver to prevent mixing color.
Check the product: https://kintsugi-kit.com/products/silk-ball
10. Masking Tape
After applying Mugi Urushi to bond the broken pieces, masking tape is used to hold them in place. It is also applied to the surface of rough pottery to prevent urushi from staining.
Check the product: https://kintsugi-kit.com/products/masking-tape
11. Rubber Gloves
The Tsugu Kit includes one pair of rubber gloves, but it’s recommended to purchase more for future use. Urushi can cause skin irritation if it comes into contact with the skin. Always wear rubber gloves during Kintsugi to protect your skin. Use a new pair each time to avoid contamination. The gloves in the kit are latex-free and powder-free, ensuring they won’t interfere with your work.
Reusable Tools for Kintsugi
1. Fine-point Brush
The fine-point brush is used to apply black urushi and bengal-red urushi to cracks and missing parts. If you want to create even finer lines, extra fine-point brushes are available for purchase separately.
Check the product: https://kintsugi-kit.com/products/fine-point-brush-for-kintsugi-and-painting-made-in-japan
2. Plastic Spatula
The spatula is used for mixing various materials on a palette, such as Mugi Urushi, Kokuso, and Sabi Urushi.
3. Bamboo Spatula
Each bamboo spatula is handcrafted and shaped perfectly for Kintsugi. It is ideal for applying the hard putty Kokuso into deep cracks. It can also be used for filling small gaps with Sabi Urushi.
4. Spoon
The spoon is used to measure out small amounts of wood powder, polishing powder, black powder, or bengal-red powder from their containers.
5. Palette
The palette is where you mix materials like urushi and powders. It is made of durable acrylic and won’t break easily. Over time, urushi may stick to the surface, so if you want to replace it, palettes are available for purchase online.
Check the product: https://kintsugi-kit.com/products/glass-mixing-palette-for-kintsugi-kintsugi-kit-tsugukit-refill
6. Water Dropper
The dropper is used to add small amounts of water when making Mugi Urushi, Kokuso, or Sabi Urushi.
7. Instruction Manual
The Tsugu Kit includes a step-by-step manual in both Japanese and English. It simplifies the complex process of Kintsugi into five easy steps, making it accessible to beginners.
The manual includes QR codes that link to YouTube videos for visual guidance. You can also join live YouTube or Instagram sessions to ask Tsugu Tsugu Kintsugi experts directly if you run into any issues.
Check the product: https://kintsugi-kit.com/products/kintsugi-manual-english-japanese-manual-for-tsugu-kit
FAQ Before Purchasing Kintsugi Materials
As you’ve probably realized by now, purchasing the tools and materials for Kintsugi one by one is quite a hassle. Outside of Japan, it’s even harder to know where to source the traditional tools, they take time to find, shipping fees are high, and buying individual items often means you end up with more than you need, which isn’t cost-effective at all.
That’s why I strongly recommend beginners start by purchasing a Kintsugi kit that includes all the essential materials in one package. Once you run out of materials, you can easily restock from the Tsugu Tsugu kintsugi online store.
The Kintsugi kit sold by Tsugu Tsugu, a company that runs Kintsugi workshops in two locations in Tokyo, is called the Tsugu Kit, and it comes in three different versions. We often get asked, “Which kit is right for me?”
In fact, all three kits contain the same tools and materials, and they are all designed for beginners. The only difference between them is the amount of gold and silver powder included. So, please ask yourself "how many broken items do you have to repair?" That’s how you should decide which kit to go for. If you’re unsure, I suggest starting with the Traditional Tsugu Kit, which offers the best value and allows you to finish the most pieces. It includes 0.3 grams of gold powder and 0.5 grams of silver powder, making it the most cost-effective of the three kits.
https://kintsugi-kit.com/products/traditional-tsugukit-gold-silver
The Tsugu Kit is priced affordably by including only the most basic materials and quantities that beginners will need. However, if you’re someone who wants to do a lot of Kintsugi or achieve an even more beautiful finish, we also offer additional tools and materials for purchase to help you improve your skills even faster!
Be sure to check out Tsugu Tsugu’s kintsugi online shop and find the right products for your needs.