Ancient Beauty Reborn

Stretch Goal ：¥5,000,000 “Sacred Gift Experience” — Bringing Japan’s Gift Culture to the World —

When we reach ¥5,000,000, the first 100 backers who pledge for a Full Set will receive a special gift package.

What’s included:

• Premium gift box with traditional Japanese washi paper band
• Minimal, luxury design crafted for international gifting
• An unboxing experience that speaks the language of Japanese hospitality

“This is not just a product. It is the art of giving itself.”

Your continued support and shares mean the world to us. Thank you

9,000 years ago, the world’s oldest Urushi (lacquer) culture was born in Japan. It was an ancient wisdom that viewed a single drop of sap as a “membrane of prayer,” connecting humans with nature and the great flow of time. In today’s world of efficiency and speed, have we forgotten the quiet moments of reflection?

Urushi is not merely a traditional coating. It possesses a mysterious luster emerging from darkness and a tactile quality that feels as if it’s breathing. It is a living energy that hardens and clears over time, growing alongside its owner. Now, from the heart of Echizen, Fukui, a lacquer artist awakens these ancient memories. We invite you to welcome a “moment of Urushi”—an expression that will never be replicated—into your daily life.

KODAI WORKS originates from Echizen, Fukui—a sacred land of craftsmanship where traditions like lacquerware, washi paper, and blacksmithing have coexisted for 1,500 years. Our first series features the “Maneki-neko” (Beckoning Cat), a Japanese symbol of fortune, reimagined as Urushi art. Artisan Kodai Yamauchi applies layers of pigment, silver foil, and gold powder to capture the rhythm of life.

This “Guardian Cat” is not for religious ritual, but for “Conscious Presence”—a time to clear the mind and return to the “here and now.” It is an art piece that condenses thousands of years of history into the palm of your hand.

Through dozens of coating processes, the Urushi changes its expression like a kaleidoscope depending on the angle of light. Each design is unique; no two patterns are ever the same.

●Galaxy Series (Ginga-nuri) : Visualizing the silent power of the cosmos with deep ultramarine and vermillion.

●Chigiri Series(Chigiri-ginpaku-kasane): Silver foil is torn and layered, embodying the wish to weave eternal “En” (connections).

●Vapor Cloud Series(Joun-nuri): Ethereal expressions of rising clouds and steam, representing upward momentum.

●Authentic Series (Jet Black & Vermilion): The purest colors of Japanese DNA—Jet Black and Vermillion—hand-painted to bring out the protective power of Urushi.

The artist, Kodai Yamauchi, derives his name from the “Kodai-shuraku” (Ancient Lacquer) found at the Torihama Shell Mound in his hometown. His father, also a lacquerer, was so captivated by this ancient red that he named his son “Kodai” (Ancient).

When Kodai decided to succeed the family business, he felt guided by the destiny within his name. His daily life involves offering gratitude to the Urushi trees and tools at the local shrine. This spiritual background transformed him from a mere craftsman into an artist who expresses the vital force of lacquer.

Urushi possesses the unique property of hardening by reacting with moisture in the air. As years pass, the film becomes harder and more transparent, deepening the brilliance of the underlying colors.

KODAI WORKS does not aim to be displayed behind museum glass. We want these pieces to be touched and spoken to in your home. By bringing Urushi—which holds ancient memories—into your life, you engage in a “Cycle of Life” that transcends simple ownership.

Urushi art requires immense time; each layer takes several days to dry. Our pricing on Kickstarter reflects the rarity of natural materials and the “purity” of a process where Kodai Yamauchi handles every single step himself.

We do not want to “preserve” Urushi as a relic of the past; we want to re-present it as a “future expression.” Through Kickstarter, we seek “co-creative partners” across borders. Your support fuels the training of young artisans and the release of Urushi’s potential to the world.

For over 9,000 years, Urushi has held the prayers of the Japanese people. Today, that energy reaches out to you in a new form. This is not a project to “save” a dying tradition. It is a journey to “update” an ancient aesthetic alongside your own life. The piece you choose completes this circle. Will you join us as a supporter of this challenge connecting the ancient and the modern?

Premier Cosmic Single

A premier single edition themed around “Cosmic Connection.” Includes a dedicated Galaxy-finished base. Each piece features a unique, shimmering lacquer void—your own personal piece of the galaxy to bring harmony to your space.

*Includes a dedicated urushi-finished base sized for the single model.

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Sacred Urushi Black and Shinto Shrine Vermilion

This is the most iconic and representative color combination in Japan.It has been used since ancient times for painting shrine and temple buildings, as well as for ritual offerings and sacred objects.Its absolute meaning is “Absolute Peace and Security” (Antai).This pair of colors, longed for across thousands of years, carries a heartfelt wish for the owner of this Maneki-neko to enjoy “absolute peace and security.”Black is the deepest jet black (漆黒 – shikkoku), while red is the ancient vermilion known as “Shu-aka” (朱赤) — a sacred red excavated from archaeological sites dating back approximately 6,000 years.

Cloud-Inspired Urushi Gold & Soft Crimson

This is a lacquer technique that depicts the process of moisture on the earth evaporating and rising into the sky to form clouds.No two pieces can ever be the same — this unpredictable beauty of form perfectly mirrors the ever-changing nature of clouds themselves.Full Gold (Sōkin) directly symbolizes rising financial fortune and business success.Pale Red (Awabeni) carries the wish for rising luck in human relationships, such as romance and family bonds.This is a style meant to be placed nearby, so that it can be viewed up close as a cherished presence.We hope you will hold it gently in your hands, embracing it with care.It is a lacquer-coated Maneki-neko that stays close to its owner, like a protective companion.

Gold & Black/Gold

A powerful pairing of “Full Gold” for rising fortune and “Black Gold” for unique connections. This set is dedicated to professional leap and business prosperity. Ideal as a gift for grand openings, relocations, or new milestones.

Golden Amber & Sunset Crimson

This is a technique in which gold leaf is scattered across the body of the Maneki-neko, followed by the application of multiple layers of urushi lacquer.Each additional layer of lacquer adds greater depth and richness, resonating with the very power of the wish embodied in the piece.Amber represents fossilized tree resin that has slumbered underground for thousands of years.Sunset Red (Yūbeni) captures this profound red as a symbol of energy.The chigiri-baku (torn gold leaf) technique imparts a sense of unique, one-of-a-kind connection to the Maneki-neko’s body. It is believed that wishes are spun through human connections and relationships.

Premier Endless Blue Sky &　A Cosmic Scene

This is a premium paired set featuring “Galaxy Lacquer Blue” and “Unkin-nuri Royal Blue”, themed around connection to the universe.As KODAIWORKS’ top-tier Maneki-neko, this special edition uses an increased number of lacquer layers, revealing the breathtaking appearance of the galaxy and the stratosphere across the cat’s body.

In the Galaxy Lacquer technique, silver powder is delicately scattered across the Maneki-neko’s body like countless stars in the galaxy, then covered with multiple layers of urushi lacquer.The Unkin-nuri Royal Blue creates an illusion of distant, ever-changing clouds through its irregular patterns. By layering the lacquer many times, it brings an entire cosmic worldview to life.

Additionally, the dedicated base is also finished with Galaxy Lacquer Blue, making the pair appear as if the Maneki-neko is floating in outer space like an astronaut.

This set carries a powerful wish for strong rising energy that transcends the earthly realm and reaches into the universe itself.

The energy of the cosmos is unknown and infinite. Since ancient times, this lacquer technique has been used to capture and believe in that immense power.

*Includes a dedicated urushi-finished base sized for the pair. The Premium model features a “Galaxy” finish, while other pairs include a “Black Urushi” finish base.