The kintsugi technique is believed to date back as far as the fifteen century. The story tells that Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the eighth shogunate broke his favorite bowl and sent it for repair. After being returned with unsightly metal ligatures, he sought out the most reknowned craftsment to repair the bowl. Amazed by his determination to not discard, but make the vessel new, the artists decided to repair it in a way to honor its breakage. And so began the art of golden mend.