Born to established and esteemed urushi (lacquer) artist Murose Shunji (1911-1989), the young Murose became aware from an early age of the need to bridge two worlds: that of tradition and that of forced adaptation to a Westernized lifestyle.
Murose learned urushi in earnest at the Tokyo University of the Arts, and studied under the urushi master and Living National Treasure Matsuda Gonroku (1896-1986). Gonroku’s principle student, Taguchi Yoshikuni (1923-1998), was also Murose’s mentor. Under their tutelage, Murose learned as a craftsman about the rich history and techniques of urushi.
As an artist, he followed the artistic spirit of Matsuda Gonroku, and especially of Taguchi, to refine and develop his own working styles. His works are deeply rooted in tradition while his designs explore new ways of expressing the beauty of urushi that speaks to the modern world. Apart from his creative works, he devotes his time in Japan as well as abroad to the restoration of cultural assets. In 2008, he was designated Living National Treasure.