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Best lacquer shop in Hanoi

“Sơn mài”, or lacquer painting in Vietnam, is so well-known to the world for its uniqueness created by the fusion of local and French techniques. So now you are in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, let’s embark on a journey of finding the finest lacquerware pieces.

“Sơn mài”, or lacquer painting in Vietnam, is so well-known to the world for its uniqueness created by the fusion of local and French techniques. So now you are in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, let’s embark on a journey of finding the finest lacquerware pieces.

1. Buying Vietnamese lacquerware in Hạ Thái traditional lacquer village

Located 17km south of Hanoi city center, Ha Thai lacquer village (Duyen Thai commune, Thuong Tin district, Hanoi) is one of the oldest and the most well-known traditional villages in Hanoi. The village has existed for more than 200 years and has gone through many ups and downs. Initially, the painting job in Ha Thai was only painting with gold to decorate worship or precious objects in the palace of the kings of lords such as the throne, palanquin or horizontal board. In 1930, the first Vietnamese painters to study at Indochina Fine Arts School, especially Mr Dinh Van Thanh - a Ha Thai villagers, researched and discovered other materials such as egg shells, snails, and stones, bamboo along with grinding technique to create an unique lacquer technique.
Ha Thai lacquer is of high value first because of their painting material. It is taken from cây sơn trees (“paint” trees), which grow many in Phu Tho province. The valuable characteristic of this painting material is its high durability, good grip and good water resistance. The two main colors of lacquer are cockroach-wing color and black.
In the world today, there are also many countries which have developed technique in making lacquerware, but Ha Thai lacquer village in particular and Vietnam’s lacquer in general still have its own characteristics. Their products are made by skillful hands, persistent meticulousness, creativity and more importantly, the passion for the traditional craft of the talented craftsmen. There are complex works that even take them a few weeks or months or even a year to complete.

2. Buying original lacquerware in Tan My design

Just a few steps from the heart of Hanoi - Hoan Kiem Lake, your lacquerware-seeking journey in Hanoi would be much more completed if you visit the emporium of Tanmy Design, which is located at 61 Hang Gai street.


Tanmy Design is originally an embroidery-specialized stored, started by Madam Bach Thi Ngai in 1969. This store is known as the oldest embroidery shop in Hanoi and the first store to sell silk and embroidery products in the silk heaven Hang Gai street. Although Tanmy design is so well-known among Hanoians and even foreign tourists as a store selling the finest silk and embroidery designs, it is also a contemporary emporium of jewellery, accessories, lacquerware, artworks and more. It is safe to say Tan My is an ideal place for people who are seeking for timeless, exceptional and luxurious lacquerware pieces. Here, you would find a wide range of lacquerware products from accessories, jewellery to decorations and furniture… which originate from places in all over the world and are made by the hands of the best lacquer artists. These products all have a strong sense of aesthetic and contain a great deal of cultural elements that would absolutely satisfy your appetite for art.


Not only for buying lacquerware and other products, Tanmy design also offers a large space of Vietnamese culture and art display and a coffee corner for visitors to stay and feel its beauty. Tanmy Design has been listed as one of the 11 must-visit places in Hanoi by The New York Times, and this is by no means a false suggestion.

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FOR REFERENCE (CLICK IN THE TEXT):
- Best places to visit in Hanoi
Best places for shopping in Hanoi​
- The best things to buy in Hanoi

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