Wajima Museum of Urushi Art, Lacquerware crafts museum in Wajima, Japan.

The Wajima Museum of Urushi Art is a lacquer art museum in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, opened in 1991. Its building, designed by Hiroyasu Tomiie, has an exterior modeled on the Shōsōin's azekura log-storehouse style. The collection grew from 300 works at opening to 1,428 in 2021, including Wajima-nuri and lacquerware from East and Southeast Asia.

The museum opened in 1991 in Wajima, the production centre of Wajima-nuri lacquerware, funded jointly by the city and the Wajima Lacquerware Commerce and Industry Cooperative. It is described as the world's only museum specialising in lacquer art. In June 2021 a ceremony marked the expansion of its storage, and by then the collection had grown from 300 works at opening to 1,428.

Wajima-nuri lacquerware displayed here represents a deeply rooted local craft tradition that has shaped the identity of this coastal town for generations. Visitors can see how this artform remains central to community pride and daily aesthetic practices in the region.

The museum stands in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, and is managed by a foundation funded jointly by the city and the Wajima lacquerware trade association. Hands-on sessions such as gold-maki-e spoon and chopstick coloring and maki-e strap making require advance booking. Exhibitions change, so check what is on before travelling.

The building's exterior imitates the azekura-zukuri log-storehouse style of Shōsōin, and it was designed by architect Hiroyasu Tomiie. The museum opened in 1991 as the first museum in Japan specializing in lacquer art, and it is described as the only lacquer-art museum in the world. Its collection grew from 300 works at opening to 1,428 in 2021.