This film follows her meticulous process – from watercolour sketches and digital refinement to the careful layering, curing, and polishing of lacquer. Her work captures urushi in motion, expressing its fluid nature through forms inspired by flowing water, drifting clouds, and the landscapes of Kyoto.

We also visit Tsutsumi Asakichi Urushi, a traditional lacquer supplier, to see how raw sap is refined, coloured, and prepared using time-honoured techniques and machinery. Once limited to just five natural colours, modern urushi now offers a rich palette, yet remains deeply rooted in tradition.

Each sculpture takes around three months to complete, with many layers, polishing stages, and precise environmental control required to achieve its flawless finish.

This film was produced with the support of the Toshiba International Foundation, with additional support from Susanna Pang, Dr Tsun-Woon Lee and Hiroyuki Maki.

See Tanigawa's sculpture in the Urushi Now: Contemporary Japanese Lacquer display at V&A South Kensington until 30 April 2027.

Watch more of our How was it made? films.