Traditional Kintsugi vs Modern Kintsugi

Kintsugi has been booming over the last few years and it has slowly broken Japanese borders to become part of a global pop culture. If the Kintsugi aesthetics regularly inspires major brands and designers, few people realize that while the word kintsugi is often used broadly today, it actually refers to two approaches that look similar but are fundamentally different in their materials and purpose—the original traditional kintsugi using urushi lacquer, and the more recent modern kintsugi using synthetic resin.
At Tsugu Tsugu, we value both for their accessibility, but our passion lies in sharing the depth and authenticity of traditional kintsugi.

In this article, we will go over all the differences between these two methods and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each kintsugi repair technique.

After reading this article, you will have all the necessary information to make your own choice before getting started with kintsugi.

What Does "Kintsugi" Mean ?

It’s generally thought that kintsugi started in the Muromachi era (around the 15th century). Kintsugi is a Japanese compound word that literally means "gold joinery." At the time, kintsugi solely referred to the repair of damaged ceramic pieces using urushi (the sap of the lacquer tree) and gold.

For centuries, when you talked about kintsugi, it automatically implied the use of urushi lacquer. There was no questioning. However, the way the word ‘kintsugi’ is used in everyday conversation has changed over time.

Urushi lacquer is the sap of the lacquer tree. It is a natural ingredient that is very durable and food safe. However, working with urushi comes with a lot of constraints. A few decades ago, in the name of convenience, some people slowly started using synthetic resins instead of urushi lacquer to repair broken ceramics. This new repair technique spread and became known as "modern kintsugi."

From this point, the understanding of the word "kintsugi" started to change. It slowly became an umbrella word that covered both modern kintsugi and the original technique using urushi, which is nowadays called "traditional kintsugi."

Two Techniques, Two different Philosophies

When you think of kintsugi, you usually also think of zen or wabi-sabi. It relates to a certain school of thought where individuals are an integral part of nature and surrender to its power and its imperfect beauty.

It will thus not come as a surprise that traditional kintsugi puts a strong emphasis on the use of natural ingredients. Most materials used in traditional kintsugi are naturally sourced and have been used safely for centuries, aging and weathering in a way consistent with natural materials.
However, at Tsugu Tsugu, we believe that the true value of kintsugi lies not only in its materials, but in the mindful process of restoration itself.

Originally, the primary goal of kintsugi was to enable people to reuse objects in the same way they used to before breakage happened. Since urushi is completely food safe, objects repaired with traditional kintsugi can be used to serve food and drinks. While kintsugi certainly adds new beauty to a restored piece, its purpose has always been functional—allowing the object to be used again as tableware.

Traditional kintsugi is a slow process. One of the main reasons for that is that the main ingredient used, urushi, requires a long time to harden. Urushi is very strong and durable once it has hardened. However, the way to get there is long... Urushi does not harden within a day... It can sometimes take weeks ! In addition, it requires specific conditions to harden properly. For example, it will not harden in a dry environment. For each repair, multiple layers of urushi are necessary and, as a result, it often takes several months to repair a broken pottery with the traditional method.

Due to the constraints of urushi, its use requires a little bit of preparation and practice. For a very long time, traditional kintsugi was mostly performed by artisans specialized in urushi lacquer work. Nowadays, due to the boom of kintsugi, the number of available classes has sharply increased and it is much easier for people to get started with traditional kintsugi from zero. However, one thing never changes: working with urushi takes time. Speed is not the objective. The process is as important as the final result.

While modern kintsugi has made this art more accessible worldwide, it should be understood as a different approach inspired by the look of kintsugi, but distinct in its materials and purpose.

With modern kintsugi, the focus is on accessibility and efficiency.
It was developed in response to the growing demand for a quicker and easier way to repair ceramics, allowing people to experience the beauty of kintsugi without long preparation or drying time.
Using synthetic adhesives such as epoxy resin, you can join the broken pieces much like assembling a puzzle. Depending on the piece and the resin, repairs may be completed in as little as one day to about ten days.

A major difference from traditional kintsugi is that modern kintsugi relies on synthetic resins rather than natural urushi lacquer.
These materials are convenient and fast-drying, making them ideal for short-term projects or artistic creations.
The emphasis is on achieving a visually pleasing repair in less time—perfect for beginners or for decorative purposes.

Some epoxy resins are designed to be food-safe once fully cured, but many are not. Because formulations vary widely by brand—and because repaired lines may come into contact with your mouth while using tableware—we recommend using traditional urushi kintsugi for any item intended for food use.

While synthetic resins are not natural materials, recent advancements have made many of them more stable and environmentally conscious.
Still, urushi lacquer remains unmatched for its depth, longevity, and connection to Japan’s traditional craftsmanship.
Both methods have their place—the key is choosing the one that best suits your purpose and values.

Advantage/Disadvantage of Traditional and Modern Kintsugi

Let's now have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each technique so that you can choose for yourself what suits the most your project and your own goals.

Advantages of Traditional Kintsugi

1. Food safe

Traditional kintsugi is the most reliable food-safe method, using natural urushi lacquer and other time-tested ingredients such as flour, clay powder, and genuine gold.
While some modern materials claim food safety, traditional kintsugi has centuries of proven use for tableware.

2. Technique used for centuries

Broken ceramics have been repaired with urushi for centuries in Japan. It is a method with a long history that has been proved to deliver excellent and durable results.

3. Meditative activity

Traditional kintsugi requires patience. It requires you to make time for your repair project, but also for yourself. When you do traditional kintsugi, you need to focus entirely on the object you are repairing. This intense focus forces you to forget about everything else, which can have relaxing effects on the mind.

Disadvantages of Traditional Kintsugi

1. Slow Process

Urushi lacquer, which is the main ingredient used in traditional kintsugi, requires very particular conditions to harden (70-85% of humidity and 20-30°C) and the hardening process overall takes a lot of time. In addition, urushi requires a minimum of preparation and training in order to obtain a good result and avoid rashes.

2. Allergy to Urushi

Urushi is known for being a natural material that can cause strong allergic rashes when it comes into direct contact with the skin (the rashes are similar to those caused by poison ivy). The intensity and persistence of rashes highly vary depending on each individual. That is why urushi should always be handled with care and kept away from children.

When doing traditional kintsugi, it is very important to cover your skin as much as possible to avoid any direct contact with urushi lacquer. Gloves should always be used while handling raw urushi when doing traditional kintsugi. Wearing sleeves is also highly recommended.

Advantages of Modern Kintsugi

1. Fast and cheap repair

With modern kintsugi, you can complete a project within a day if it is a simple one. The repair process is very straightforward and requires minimal preparation. Moreover, necessary ingredients are very affordable.

2. No risk of rash

Synthetic glues usually do not cause skin irritation. They are suitable for activities involving children (with adult supervision).

Disadvantages of Modern Kintsugi

1. Food safety depends on the material

Some epoxy resins are designed to be food-safe once fully cured, but not all of them are.
Because the composition varies by brand, it’s safest to assume that epoxy-based repairs are for decorative use only, unless the product specifically states otherwise.

In other words, while modern kintsugi can look beautiful and is perfect for decorative pieces or accessories,
for any tableware that touches food or your mouth, we recommend using traditional urushi kintsugi for long-term safety.

2. Balanced Environmental & Durability Considerations

Traditional kintsugi relies mostly on natural materials—such as urushi lacquer, clay powder, and flour—which have been used safely for centuries and are known for their long-term stability.
Some synthetic resins today are engineered with greater stability, improved safety, and reduced environmental impact compared to older formulations.

However, because synthetic materials vary widely in composition and long-term behavior, their durability and environmental footprint can differ from product to product.
For creative or decorative pieces, modern kintsugi can be a convenient and enjoyable option.

At Tsugu Tsugu, we deeply value the irreplaceable qualities of genuine urushi—its longevity, natural origin, and the philosophy woven into its craftsmanship.
While both approaches have their place, urushi remains central to the traditional spirit of kintsugi that we aim to preserve and share.

3. A strong chemical smell

Synthetic glues usually have a distinctive and strong smell. It is very likely that your object will smell like chemicals even after glue has hardened.

Learn Traditional Kintsugi with Tsugu Tsugu

Experience Kintsugi in Tokyo

Even if you are staying in Japan only for a short time, our 90-minute Traditional Kintsugi Workshop lets you experience real urushi lacquer kintsugi with your own hands.
You’ll learn the authentic process from Japanese kintsugi craftsmen who practice traditional techniques every day.
While the workshop is offered in simple, easy-to-understand English, you will enjoy learning directly from real artisans who preserve this craft.

• 90-Minute Traditional Kintsugi Workshop
  Learn genuine urushi-based kintsugi in a single session.
  In this workshop, you’ll repair a small piece using natural lacquer and real gold powder, while discovering the deep philosophy behind this centuries-old art.
  → [See details on our Traditional Kintsugi Workshop page]

• 60-Minute Modern Kintsugi Workshop (Epoxy Accessories)
  Perfect for those who want to try kintsugi in a shorter time.
  In this hands-on session, you’ll create kintsugi-style accessories using epoxy resin and metallic powder.
  → [See details on our Modern Kintsugi Workshop page]

Both workshops are beginner-friendly, taught in simple, easy-to-follow English, and held year-round at our Ebisu and Asakusa studios.

Our motivation at Tsugu Tsugu is to connect people with traditional craft, and particularly traditional kintsugi.

Nowadays, kintsugi regularly serves as an inspiration for famous designers and international brands. It has slowly invaded the public space and the pages of interior design magazines. However, available representations of kintsugi usually fail to look into the process of kintsugi repair. The most prevalent impression is that kintsugi is just about putting broken pieces together with a gold glue, which exclusively relates to modern kintsugi. However, as you have read in this article, this is not what one may call "authentic kintsugi."

Modern kintsugi also has its place — it’s a fun and creative way to enjoy the kintsugi aesthetic by making decorative art pieces or accessories. It offers an easy, approachable introduction for beginners who want to try kintsugi-style crafting without the long process required for traditional techniques. However, it is very different from traditional kintsugi. Once you have seen what traditional repair looks like, you can clearly tell the difference in result. Moreover, traditional kintsugi takes time and effort, but the sense of accomplishment you get upon completion is exquisitely rewarding. That is a fantastic feeling we wish to share with as many people as possible.

Through our workshops, repair services and products, we wish to share our love for traditional kintsugi, the authentic kintsugi technique, and help people use the objects they hold dear for as long as possible. In a context where it has become increasingly obvious that we should shift away from mass-consumption and mass-disposal of goods, we believe that kintsugi is an amazing path to build a more sustainable lifestyle and society.

TSUGUKIT – Get Started with Kintsugi from the Comfort of Your Home

Starting to learn kintsugi can seem like a challenging enterprise, but we are convinced that, with the right tools and the right guidance, everyone can learn how to repair broken ceramics with traditional kintsugi.

With the idea in mind, we have created a kintsugi kit designed for beginners: the TSUGUKIT ! This kintsugi kit is the result of a collaboration between Tsugu Tsugu and Katsuya Shibata, an experienced lacquer master with over 30 years of experience with kintsugi.

In the kit, you will find all the ingredients you need to get started with kintsugi. It also includes an instruction manual in Japanese AND English.

 As of October 2022, over 10,000 people have started their kintsugi journey with the TSUGUKIT. It is our wish to keep sharing the beauty of kintsugi worldwide and enabling an ever growing number of people to embark on their own kintsugi journey.

The TSUGUKIT in a nutshell:

• Kit to learn traditional kintsugi repair
• Food-safe and natural ingredients only
• Repair process broken down into 5 easy steps
• Made in Japan
• Instruction manual available in English

As a complement to the instruction manual, we have created free tutorials on YouTube. Please subscribe to our channel to discover more tips about kintsugi repair !

From Repairing to Reconnecting

At Tsugu Tsugu, we believe that repairing ceramics is also a way of repairing the connections between ourselves, the memories we hold, and the people who shared them with us.
In that sense, kintsugi doesn’t just connect broken pieces — it connects hearts, moments, and stories.