Starting on Saturday, July 8th, the Asakusa Kappabashi main store will be holding a "Fluorescent Tube Recycled Glass Exhibition."
This issue features glassware made from fluorescent tube glass, a material that is no longer in use, by Rokkayama Kobo in Shibukawa City, Gunma Prefecture.

"Rokkayama Workshop" in Gunma Prefecture, surrounded by nature

The Rokkayama Workshop we will introduce this time is a wonderful building renovated from an old sericulture house in Akagi-cho, Shibukawa City, Gunma Prefecture.

Recycled glass from fluorescent tubes, which are becoming increasingly rare

One of the characteristics of the Rokkayama studio's works is their greenish color.
It is made from discarded fluorescent tubes.
Compared to transparent glass,
A distinctive feature of this product is that it blends in bubbles and wrinkles in the glass.

The photo shows blue glass.
By melting various colored glass, including the green color from fluorescent tubes, we create a calming blue glass.

Other things include:
Yunohana glass is made by mixing the mineral deposits from Gunma's famous hot spring, Ikaho Onsen, into the glass.
Rokkayama's work includes:
It contains stories that you'll want to tell others about.

How to create something interesting within constraints

The reason we started using recycled glass from fluorescent tubes was actually because it was cheaper to produce.
However, when I first started using it, it cooled down quickly and became hard.
It has become clear that it is difficult to handle, as there are only a limited number of colored glass that go well with it.

on the other hand,
Warm green hues,
The texture of the wrinkles and bubbles blends in well with the design.
We also discovered the unique appeal of recycled glass from fluorescent tubes.

Among the materials that can be used,
How can you make something interesting?
Rokkayama's work is born from this kind of curiosity.

This is the end of the production of recycled fluorescent tube glass for now.

With the spread of LED lights,
Factory that produces recycled glass for fluorescent tubes has ceased production.
It is becoming more difficult to source materials.

In the future, at the Rokkayama Workshop,
Instead of recycled glass for fluorescent tubes,
Clear glass is mainly used.
I thought it might be a little worrying that they wouldn't be able to use recycled glass, which is an icon of the workshop, but Onoguchi said that this was not the case.

"If it's transparent glass,
I'm looking forward to seeing the range of colored glass I can combine expanded.
How can we make it more interesting within the scope of what we can do now?
Even though the materials have changed, that attitude seems to remain the same.