Coconuts
Leave the coconut outside for six to 12 months, and let insects and bacteria break down the flesh and oil that coconuts naturally contain. Wash and dry the shell and cover it with washi and linen cloth, using nori-urushi. Finish with a coating of urushi.
Photo by Koji Takanashi
Palm leaves
Let the leaf soak in muddy water to remove the oil in the fibre of the leaf. Leave the leaf in the water for two to three months, occasionally taking it out to let it dry. Make layers of washi and linen cloth for the back of the leaf, but only cover the surface with washi. Finish with a coating of urushi.
Photo by Koji Takanashi