Ichimatsu Sanokawa I, a kabuki actor of the Edo period, wore hakama with a pattern of alternating white and dark blue squares, which became so popular that it became a kimono pattern, hence the name "checkerboard pattern. Thus, those that existed before the Edo period are called checkered patterns.
In English, it is called checkerbord pattern from the checkered flag used in car races; in NASCAR, the checkered flag used in races is awarded to the winning team with a trophy.
A thin coat of black lacquer is applied to the middle coat and charcoal fine powder is sprinkled. Then, a thin coat of black lacquer is applied, allowed to dry thoroughly, and polished to express the pattern. The checkered pattern is then masked and two coats of black urushi lacquer are applied, followed by a roiro finish. Finally, the masking is removed to complete the process.
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