Kintsugi is an ancient Japanese practice rooted in the art of repairing broken pottery with gold. The word Kintsugi literally means "golden joinery," a technique that transforms cracked ceramics into something even more beautiful. Rather than hiding the damage, the breaks are filled with lacquer mixed with powdered gold, emphasizing the cracks as part of the object’s history, not flaws to be concealed.
This tradition dates back to the 15th century, when a Japanese shogun broke his favorite tea bowl. Unsatisfied with the rough metal staples used to fix it, artisans developed a new method—Kintsugi—that would honor the breakage and restore the bowl with seams of gold. In this way, Kintsugi became more than a method of repair; it became a philosophy of embracing imperfections and celebrating the process of restoration.
While Kintsugi highlights the beauty in the final result—where cracks are transformed into golden seams—Kintsukuroi, which translates to "golden repair," shifts our attention to the act of mending itself. The journey of healing becomes as valuable as the outcome. This distinction speaks to the spiritual depth of the practice: the acknowledgment that the process of repair, with all its patience and intention, is sacred in its own right.
In our lives, this same principle applies. We often focus on becoming whole again, yet the true beauty is found in the effort we put into healing. Each careful step, each small repair we make to ourselves, becomes part of our growth. Kintsukuroi reminds us that healing is not about erasing the cracks or rushing to cover them with gold—it’s about engaging with the journey, appreciating the act of repair itself as a form of transformation.
For Kintsugi artists, the process itself is as important as the outcome. Artists like Mio Heki see Kintsugi as a ritual, an act of care that requires patience and attention. In Heki’s view, every piece of pottery has a “soul” that the artist must respect. She describes the process as a conversation between the artist and the broken object, allowing the pottery to become something new without losing its past. In this way, Kintsugi is more than an art form—it’s a relationship, an exchange between hands, fragments, and time. Kintsukuroi—the act of golden repair—deepens this relationship, inviting the artist to be fully present, acknowledging the beauty in every step of mending.
Korean artist Yeesookyung uses Kintsugi techniques to explore transformation and acceptance in her Translated Vase series. By filling discarded ceramic fragments with gold, she “alchemizes fears and sorrows” into something whole and beautiful. Her work reminds us that flaws and missteps can still create something strong and resilient.
Kintsugi and Kintsukuroi offer us a dual message: to find value in the cracks as part of a greater story, and to also honor the process of repair itself. Perhaps that’s why this art form resonates so deeply for many: the cracks don’t make us less—they make us whole.
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