In this workshop, you will become acquainted with traditional Japanese restoration techniques, the history of Kintsugi, and its most essential material: Urushi, a Japanese lacquer. You will learn how to repair broken bowls and decorate them with gold, while rediscovering the beauty of imperfection.

Each participant receives a Kintsugi bowl, and during the three-hour workshop you will follow the process step by step: gluing, cleaning, filling, painting, and finally dusting with gold powder to complete your unique creation. At the end of the workshop, participants take their own Kintsugi ceramics home in a specially designed box that allows the lacquer to dry.

Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese restoration technique that breathes new life into broken ceramics. By using Urushi, the natural sap of the Urushi tree, and decorating the repaired cracks with gold, silver, or vermilion, each piece becomes a beautiful work of art.

Kintsugi is more than a craft; it is a philosophy rooted in acceptance and resilience. By highlighting scars instead of hiding them, this centuries-old method teaches us to embrace flaws and imperfections.

Yuki Tessler gives workshops and courses in Kintsugi in the Netherlands, France, Denmark, and Belgium. Originally from Saitama, Japan, her journey began as a lighting designer in Tokyo, where she worked for ten years. Her deep fascination with traditional Japanese art and culture has always shaped her work. Theatre technique gave her practical insights into Japanese craftsmanship and its long-standing tradition. During her studies in philosophy, specialising in Buddhism, she explored the concepts of wabi-sabi and Zen that underpin the Japanese cultural mindset. The Kintsugi and Urushi art that are part of this allow her to embrace imperfection. Sharing the Kintsugi philosophy through workshops has become a way to foster cultural exchange and celebrate Japanese artistry.