Bokashi (ぼかし [bokashi])

Bokashi means “blurring” or “gradation.” In lacquerwork it’s any technique that creates a soft transition between colors, tones, densities of powder, or even gloss levels. Bokashi isn’t one fixed recipe—it’s a family of controlled fades: you can bokashi urushi colors, bokashi maki-e powders, or bokashi texture. Good bokashi has no visible “banding” and no muddy overlap zone; the fade looks intentional under both direct light and diffuse light. It’s often used to keep high-contrast designs from looking harsh, especially on cylindrical objects like pens.