Artist Yuji Kubo, who lives and works in Hirosaki City, the major center for Tsugaru lacquer, is one of Japan notable contemporary lacquer artists. After graduation from university in 1976, he began the study of lacquer making. In 1985 he established his own studio, Yu-Kobo in Hirosaki City. In 1986 he participated in his first group exhibition in Tokyo, "New Lacquerware", and in 1987 was recognized with the Good Design Award by Japan Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Yuji Kubo belongs to a generation of well trained, skilled and innovative artists who have mastered all the varying techniques and patterns for which Tsugaru lacquer is well known and who have also introduced new patterns, new colors of lacquer, and who have successfully created lacquer pieces on an unusually large scale. Among Mr. Kubo work in the Boston exhibition are a dining table, side tables, and small chests with drawers, which are decorated in both traditional and innovative new patterns and colors.

Mr. Kubo has exhibited his work in group exhibitions in Japan, Europe and in the United States and has been awarded several commissions to create large-scale lacquered architectural components. Over the past six years, he has collaborated with the well known Philadelphia studio furniture maker, Michael Hurwitz, and this work has been shown at Mr. Hurwitz's exhibitions in Philadelphia and New York. Most recently Mr. Kubo's work has been exhibited at the Pritam and Eames Gallery in Long Island, the East Helsinki Art Museum in Finland, and at the Hannover International Lighting Exhibition in Germany.