Kintsugi 1：Wounds become strength.

Wounds become strength.

This is one of the core beliefs I hold through kintsugi.

Repairing a broken vessel with gold is not simply about restoring it to what it once was.

Rather than hiding the damage, kintsugi highlights it—as if to say, this is where the story truly began—carefully refining that place into something even more beautiful.

When gold is applied, what was once a crack becomes a single line.That line shapes the vessel’s entire expression; it becomes one of its most defining features.

It is no longer a flaw to be concealed,but a trace that says, this is the path I took to become who I am now.

Scars are proof of what has been overcome.

Scars are proof of what has been overcome.They speak quietly of how much time it took,how much pain was endured,and how much effort was poured into getting here.

These “wounds” are not only the ones we can see.They also include the invisible marks etched deep within us—regrets, trauma, and the many kinds of pain that undeniably exist in our hearts.

At the final stage of kintsugi, when gold powder is sprinkled and the surface is gently polished,I watch as the gold slowly begins to glow.

In that moment, I feel as if I am saying,You’ve done so well to make it this far—like carefully applying makeup to someone just before they step onto the stage,after a long period of quiet preparation.

The vessel is now ready to face forward once again, with dignity.

One day, your wounds, too, will become part of your strength.

When something breaks in life, it is not the end,but an opportunity for a new beginning.

The lines may not be visible yet,but the day when they emerge will come—without fail.