Comparison of Characteristics Recognition in the "Mitate" of Urushi Crafts

Urushi crafts is one of the Japanese traditional crafts. Urushi painting and “Maki-e” decoration of these Urushi crafts works were removed by usage for many years. Experts of Urushi crafts have repaired and restored them correctly by gain an insight into their conditions, materials and techniques. They can understand the contained information by watching the works. This observation method is called “Mitate”. In this study, it was aimed to examine how to conduct Mitate when Urushi craftspeople look at the works. As a result, it is considered that expert craftspeople could ensure the characteristics recognition by gaining and combining more information from the work than the other subject.