First some general remarks about laquer techniques.
Laquerware is created from the sap of the laquer tree for practical and artistic equipment we use in our daily lives. The advantage of laquer is its strong natural adhesive property and it is very easily processed into pieces. Traditionally many coatings of laquer are applied and after drying patterns are carved out of the laquer. With Kamakurabori the process is the opposite. First the wood is carved and then only a few coatings are used to cover it. In this way the normally expensive laquer pieces could be produced at a more affordable level for every-day use objects.

The coating with laquer not only helps create beautiful pieces, but it also has the following advantages:

　 1. Preserves products from decomposition.
　 2. Keeps beautiful sheen and luster forever.
　 3. Provides soft and warm feeling when touched. This is important when you
　　 use laquerware for eating tools.
　 4. Anti-acidity, anti-alkaline and anti-electric properties and a great
　　 endurance against wear and tear.
　 5. The coating can be applied to almost anything, wood, iron, paper, leather.
　 6. It is easy to add other decorations after laquer coating.

Here are some forms of decoration:
Pictures painted or inlayed in laquer　漆絵（Urushi-e）
Pictures with sprincled powder of gold, silver or other materials　薪絵（Maki-e）
Gold or silver inlay in scratch marks of urushi 沈金（Chinkin）沈銀（Chingin）
Inlay of shells　螺鈿（Raden）

Check out more about laquer and other Japanese Culture Lessons at the Fenolossa Cyber Museum.
http://www.nownext.com/fen/index.html
Ernest Francisco Fenollosa　1853-1908 日本語の説明。
http://www.nownext.com/fen/htmlj/t-fen.html

Kamakurabori is a specialty of the city of Kamakura. It's a combination of woodcarving and lacquer-work. Designs are carved in wood and then coated many times with red and black lacquer. The carving technique dates from the 13th century and originates from Buddhist statue sculptors. Their technique was succeeded from one generation to another. The present owner of the store Hakkoodoo in Kamakura for example is the 28th direct descendant of the founder of the Goto Buddhist-statue sculptor family.
As Kamakura began to wane in importance in the 15th century, demand for statue carving dropped. The artists found a niche in the area of utensils such as trays used domestically in the kitchen, and today, Kamakurabori is a special product of the city.
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/termlogy.htm
日本語はこちら。
Kamakura Today (Japanese).
http://www.kamakuratoday.com/

鎌倉彫りの歴史
13世紀中期に、禅僧の招聘、禅宗寺院の建立が盛んになります。禅宗寺院には、禅宗学問に必要な書物をはじめ美術品、儀式具調度などが中国から取り寄せられていました。その中に多くの彫漆工芸品があり、これを彫刻技術に巧みな仏師が、木で形作り、彫刻し漆塗りをしたのが鎌倉彫のはじまりであると言われております。歴史的には、鎌倉だけでなく、京都でも禅宗文化は盛んでしたから、名品と言われているような古典的鎌倉彫のものが、京都を中心とした寺院にも、伝わっています。
http://www.kamakura-bori.co.jp/rekisi/rekishi.html
http://www.sunsun-navi.gr.jp/kamahori.html

This is a traditional flower design of Kamakurabori.
伝統的な花模様です。

http://www.kamakurabori.org/seihin.html

Here is one more very good historical explanation of Kamakurabori in Japanese. This technique was also used to produce tables to hold sutras and other decorative utensils used at temples.
京都の法金剛院、宇治の平等院、平泉の中尊寺などの諸仏の天蓋、光背、台座に施されている宝相華文などの装飾彫刻があります。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
http://www.kamakurabori.org/naritachi.html

Let us look at some of the famous stores that produce Kamakurabori in Kamakura. Some of them also offer lessons in this art form.
Hakkoodoo

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

http://www.kamakurabori.org/index.html

Azumaya
伝統を重んじ若い世代にも 受け入れられる商品を製作しております。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
http://www.sisnet.or.jp/secom/shop/azumaya/

Kenyoodoo

http://www.kamakura-bori.co.jp

Walking in Kamakura　鎌倉散歩
Since Kamakura is easily reached by Yokosuka Line from Tokyo it is a good place for a daytrip. I lived in Kamakura for more than 15 years before moving to Okayama prefecture, so I will introduce you to some of my favorite spots.　
First the "Coin-Washing" Zeniarai Benten 銭洗弁天.
According to legend, the Shrine dates from the era of Yoritomo Minamoto (1147-1199), the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate. One night after a series of battles, an old man appeared in his dream and said, "I am the god of Ugajin. There is a spring in the gorge located in the northwest direction of Kamakura. Go find it and worship Ugajin with the spring water. People may start to have faith in the god and peace will be restored." It was the day of the Serpent, the month of the Serpent in 1185, the year of Serpent on lunar calendar based on twelve zodiac signs.
Keep reading on this HP with a lot of informations about all places in Kamakura.
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~QM9T-KNDU/zeniarai.htm

Believe me, I have washed a lot of coins there and it seems to have helped a little!

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
洞窟の中に湧き出る銭洗水で、お金を洗うと洗ったお金が何倍にも増えて戻ってくるとか・・・・それも特に縁日のたつ巳の日に洗うのが一番霊験あらたかだそうで、人出も半端ではないようだ。もっとも不信人者の私は、数年前に１００円玉 を４個ほど洗っただけなので、いまだに金持ちには、縁遠い生活である。
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/nagayama/pota/kama1/kama1_zeni3.htm
日本語はこちら
http://shonanfeeling.hoops.ne.jp/zeniarai.html

Read more about the Inari fox god and its worship at Sasuke Inari close to the Benten shrine.
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/sasuke.htm

One of my favorites is the temple Kakuon-ji, 覚園寺 hidden in the back of a valley and coming to live every year at August 10 for the midnight festival of the Black Jizo Bosatsu (kurojizoo 黒地蔵). 　　
August 10 every year is the day to venerate this Black Jizo Bosatsu. A religious service for him starts at twelve midnight with gongs and bells, attended by a number of Shingon sect priests chanting Han'nya shingyoo, or Prajna-paramita sutra.
Read a lot more details on this HP.
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/kakuonji.htm

If you find time it is well worth a visit. From the big statue of Yakushi Nyorai in the Main Hall there is a long five-colored cord through the hall and outside in the garden, where it is hanging from a large pole, so you can get in direct TOUCH with this Healing Buddha. The hall is lit by candles and all seems far removed from time and space. Visitig the Cave with 13 Buddhas you get almost choked by the smoke of so many candles and have a real foretaste of hell.
There are not many chances these days to "experience" a Buddha statue in its original setting made for veneration and lit by candles. To spend a long mysterious summer night here in these otherwise quiet temple grounds shows you a glimpse of OLD KAMAKURA, better than the fireworks at the sea two days later.

Check out this complete guide to Kamakura before you plan your trip. Or contact me for a personally tailored visit.
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/index.htm

Kamakura Rekishi Sanpo 鎌倉歴史散歩。
http://www.eonet.ne.jp/~takata/ryokoindex/tokimune/sanpo.htm

Now let us come back to the Daruma of Kamakurabori.
Here is a Bolotie holder of my collection. It is only 3.5 cm large. I bought it many years ago and it was quite expensive already then.
これは達磨さんがボーロネクタイ・ホールダになる作品です。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Next we have a small netsuke of 4.5 cm. This Daruma looks almost like the Daibutsu, the Big Buddha of Kamakura. From his painstakenly carved eyebrows you can see it is Daruma san.
鎌倉の大仏みたいな達磨さんの根付です。

And finally one more piece of laquer, but this may be Negoro laquer. This one is very special. It is a box where you put your cloths after undressing in the evening or for the daily bath (midarekago). I can well imagine the headpriest of some Kamakura temple having this made to order and use it daily to remind himself of the spirit of Zen in daily life. This box is 70 cm long and 48 cm wide. Inside is a carving of Daruma standing on a rush leaf (royoo Daruma), a story that was mentioned in the MINI encyclopedia.　
こちらのは多分根来漆の乱れ籠。とてもめずらしい作品です。 模様は芦葉達磨 です。