Wajima-nuri is lacquerware produced in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Its history is said to trace back to around the Muromachi period, and the foundations of present-day Wajima-nuri were established during the Edo period. It was designated a Traditional Craft of Japan in 1975, and in 1977 the production techniques of Wajima-nuri were recognized under a group holding designation for Important Intangible Cultural Property, cementing its place as one of Japan's leading forms of lacquerware.

Wajima-nuri is characterized by "nunokise," a technique of reinforcing the wood base with cloth, and by an undercoating process that uses "jinoko" powder. The ware is completed through more than 100 processes, including grinding and polishing, with each stage handled by a specialized craftsman through a system of division of labor—resulting in lacquerware that combines both sturdiness and beauty. It is further enhanced with advanced decorative techniques such as chinkin, in which gold powder is inlaid into carved grooves, and maki-e, in which patterns are drawn using gold or silver powder, producing the exceptional ornamental quality unique to Wajima-nuri.

Wajima City is located on the northern part of the Noto Peninsula, a region where lacquerware production has flourished since ancient times. "Jinoko," made from diatomaceous earth mined in the area surrounding Wajima, is used in the undercoating of Wajima-nuri and plays a crucial role in producing lacquerware of exceptional strength and durability. The quality of Wajima-nuri is thus supported both by materials unique to this land and by the advanced craftsmanship achieved through division of labor.