About the Artisan

Kai Somekawa is a third-generation inden maker based in Tokyo, carrying forward a craft tradition that dates back over four centuries. Inden — the art of decorating deer leather with lacquer — was once the exclusive domain of samurai, who prized its durability and refined beauty for sword fittings, armor accessories, and tobacco pouches. Today, Kai breathes new life into this heritage, creating pieces that honor the past while speaking to contemporary sensibilities.

The Craft of Inden

Inden begins with carefully selected deer leather, prized for its suppleness and fine grain. Kai applies urushi lacquer by hand through a stencil — a painstaking process requiring absolute steadiness and an intimate knowledge of how lacquer behaves across seasons and humidity levels. Each motif — from traditional auspicious patterns such as tortoiseshell, waves, and paulownia blossoms to Kai's own quietly modern interpretations — is built up in multiple layers, creating a surface that is at once tactile and luminous.

No two pieces are identical. The leather's natural variation and the hand-applied lacquer ensure that every item carries its own subtle character.