Kintsugi (金継ぎ), meaning “golden joinery,” is a traditional Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Rather than hiding cracks, Kintsugi celebrates them — embracing the idea that imperfections and repairs become part of an object’s unique beauty and history.

This practice is deeply connected to the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in imperfection and impermanence. Originating in the late 15th century, Kintsugi is said to have begun when a Japanese shogun sent a broken tea bowl to China for repair, only to have it returned with unattractive metal staples. Japanese artisans then developed a more aesthetic method mending with gold transforming the flaw into something precious.

Today, Kintsugi is cherished not only as a craft but also as a metaphor for resilience, healing, and the beauty of life’s cracks.