Japan's Wajima craftmakers see hope in disaster-hit region

Wajima, Japan: Lacquerware maker Takaho Shoji hunches over his desk in the disaster hit city of Wajima in central Japan, applying another layer of coa...

Wajima, Japan: Lacquerware maker Takaho Shoji hunches over his desk in the disaster-hit city of Wajima in central Japan, applying another layer of coating to a dark, wooden box.

One brushstroke at a time, the 53-year-old is determined to bring life back to his remote community after a devastating New Year's Day earthquake, followed by severe floods.

"I need to do whatever I can to move forward with the reconstruction, and to continue this tradition and pass it on to the next generations," said the soft-spoken father of two.

"We have to work harder together, otherwise the local lacquerware industry will fade."

Wajima, a coastal city with a population of just over 20,000, is a nationally celebrated centre for fine lacquerware.