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Jason Stanley 21/10/2025
In 15th-century Japan, a shogun dropped his favourite tea bowl. It shattered - as things do - and was sent to China for repair. When it returned, clamped together with crude metal staples, it looked more tragic than treasured. So Japanese craftsmen devised a new technique: lacquer the joins, dust them with gold, and let the break tell its own story. Thus began Kintsugi - literally “golden joinery” - and with it, a philosophy that found beauty in imperfection centuries before Instagram ever discovered filters.
Kintsugi belongs to the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi: the appreciation of impermanence, wear, and the gentle dignity of time. Instead of disguising cracks, you emphasise them - not as flaws, but as the physical memory of what the piece has endured. A repaired bowl glows with fine gilt seams, every one a record of something broken and made whole again. It’s restoration as storytelling, and the result is always more interesting than something untouched.
Because it’s quiet, slow, and strangely moving. Because you finish with something both fragile and strong. And because there’s something deeply satisfying about taking a broken object - a once-loved mug, a chipped vase, a plate from the early years of a marriage - and giving it back its dignity. It isn’t about perfection; it’s about grace. Which, frankly, is something we could all use a bit more of.
Our Kintsugi Workshop invites you to learn this centuries-old craft in a calm, unhurried setting. It’s part art, part meditation, and wholly rewarding. Over two relaxed hours in Kensal Rise - just a couple of stops from Paddington - our resident Indytute expert takes you through each step of the traditional Japanese method: preparing resin, joining the broken sections piece by piece, and finishing with that luminous “golden repair.” You can bring your own china (though we’ll provide plenty if not). The pace is gentle, the process mindful, the conversation good.
This is a present with depth. Whether it’s for a partner who loves design, a friend in need of calm, a son or daughter moving into a new home, or a husband or wife who thrives on creative moments, the Kintsugi Workshop speaks to everyone. It’s tactile, meditative, and quietly triumphant - a few hours of concentration and care that end with something genuinely meaningful to take home. It’s also a shared experience: you can go together, laugh at the wobblier joins, and leave with a golden reminder of time well spent.
The Indytute provides all materials, and the class runs monthly on Saturdays and weekday evenings. It’s a perfect size - intimate enough to ask questions, social enough to share ideas. No previous experience required, just curiosity and perhaps a plate that’s had a hard life. As with all our experiences, it’s designed to linger long after you’ve left - not just in the object you’ve mended, but in the sense of calm you take with you.
There’s something quietly profound about tracing a fault line and turning it into decoration. Each stroke of gold celebrates the moment of failure as part of the object’s identity. And if that sounds philosophical, that’s because it is. People gift Kintsugi because it carries meaning: renewal, patience, acceptance. It says, “you’re allowed to change and still be beautiful.” It’s the perfect sentiment for birthdays, anniversaries or simply to show someone you care. See also our collections of birthday gifts, gifts for couples, gifts for her, and gifts for him - but this one, honestly, feels universal.
Some gifts make noise; others make an impression. This one does both quietly. The Kintsugi Workshop isn’t just about fixing broken pottery; it’s about re-discovering the satisfaction of time, touch and care. It’s creative, elegant and full of heart - the kind of present that doesn’t end with the wrapping paper, but continues to shimmer every time the light catches a golden seam.
