This week, I visited artisans in Kyoto and Osaka. Torimoto Glass Studio in Wachi, Kyotanba Town, is run by a husband-and-wife glass artist duo. I visited them to see their works made of transparent and opalescent heat-resistant glass.

Yusuke Torimoto and Yuya Torimoto worked at Naoya Arakawa's Seikosha Glass Studio. In 2015, they became independent and opened their own studio in Kyotanba Town, Kyoto Prefecture.

They have converted an old folk house in Wachi into their home and studio. What left an impression on me was their furnace, which melts glass using kerosene and waste oil. They have devised their own unique system called a "heat exchange chamber" to improve fuel efficiency. Yusuke says this was influenced by Naoya Arakawa, whom he calls "master."

Attaching handles to glass vessels is difficult because temperature differences in the glass during production can easily lead to cracks at the base after completion. Yusuke has devised a method for attaching handles to heat-resistant items, which are essential, to prevent such temperature differences.

We visit artisans to request to handle their products or hold exhibitions, but what we value most is perhaps our shared "passion for glass" and "creativity." For example, since the Torimotos' home and studio are adjacent, it's a valuable experience to see how their glasswork breathes within their daily lives.

There are many books in the center of the Torimoto's room. When I find commonalities in the daily lives of such artisans, I feel that my visit was worthwhile.

The lemongrass water and pickled plums that Yuya served me helped lower the humidity and temperature, which felt hotter than Tokyo. We are already looking forward to their upcoming collection and their exhibition at the Ginza store in late 2027. Please look forward to it.

Text and Photos: Hiroaki Sano

This article is a repost of a newsletter distributed on July 17, 2026. Please note that product availability and prices may have changed.