A replica of a lacquer drum dating back more than 2,300 years on display at the National Museum of China in Beijing (JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY) At first, it appears to just be a piece of decayed wood.
When organic chemist Takayuki Honda visited Okinawa Island in southern Japan a few years ago, he purchased a small dish coated with the glossy vermilion lacquer that’s characteristic of the region.