Archaeologists in Hokkaido have unearthed a specialized lacquer-working site dating to the Middle Jomon period. The excavation revealed stone tools with traces of urushi (lacquer) sap, along with several shallow pits used for the controlled heating and purification of the resin to produce high-quality coatings.
This discovery confirms that Jomon hunter-gatherers had developed sophisticated chemical processes for creating durable, decorative coatings long before the introduction of agriculture to the Japanese archipelago. The site also yielded several wooden bowls decorated with intricate red and black geometric patterns, demonstrating a high level of technical mastery and artistic expression.