Edo Kiriko is a craft where artisans individually cut glass material. To create delicate and brilliant beauty, artisans dedicate themselves to Edo Kiriko day after day, honing their skills and sensibilities.

Each workshop and artisan has their own style, to the extent that some artisans' works can be identified at a glance. Even with extensive experience, they never become complacent, always considering how to beautifully finish the glass in front of them and putting their hands to work. It is a demanding yet wonderful world.

Here, we introduce the stories surrounding the "artisans" who are essential to the unique world of Edo Kiriko.

A distinctive feature of Edo Kiriko is the cutting of various patterns, including traditional motifs. Often, multiple patterns are combined, but some are expressed stoically using a single pattern.

This is the case with the original products that "Muromachi Glass Crafts" has been producing since the winter of 2020. The aim is to create simple and modern designs finished with a single traditional pattern, making them accessible to those experiencing Edo Kiriko for the first time or those unfamiliar with Japanese traditional crafts.

One such product is "Yuizen," a rock glass and tumbler that is the second installment of their original product line. The design draws inspiration from "sensuji" (thousand stripes), a pattern used in kimono and other dyed fabrics.

Artisans use a specialized machine called a "diamond wheel" to make uniform cuts at approximately 3mm intervals. The straight vertical lines, when illuminated, emit a crisp and cool light. According to the artisans involved, this technique of cutting consistently without deviation is the most difficult and crucial point for achieving beauty.

"Yuizen" would not shine so brightly without the artisan's touch. There are two major reasons for this.

Firstly, glass materials that appear identical actually have slight differences in shape and thickness. This is because each piece of Edo Kiriko glass is individually blown by specialized artisans. As a result, individual variations are inevitable. Applying beautiful cuts while leveraging these individual differences is a skill only achievable through expert handcraftsmanship. Edo Kiriko artisans adjust their cuts subtly to match each piece of glass, striving for a finish that maximizes the appeal of both the glass and the cut.

Secondly, the sharp, edgy cuts are unique to handcraftsmanship. This cannot be achieved by machine. When applying patterns to a glass surface using a machine, it involves a process called "press molding," where hot, syrup-like glass is poured into a mold with various grooves to form the shape. High-temperature glass has very high viscosity, so in very fine molds, the glass cannot fully penetrate the depths of the grooves, inevitably resulting in rounded edges. In the case of "Yuizen," to achieve the precise and uniform sharpness of approximately 3mm, the artisan's handwork is essential.

These finely engraved, consistent stripe patterns would be ruined by even the slightest tremor of the hand. Therefore, artisans work with intense concentration, as if holding their breath. It is through their dedication and high skill that the beauty sought in "Yuizen" takes shape.

Edo Kiriko is a joy to hold and admire, embodying the quiet passion of the artisans who create it.

*This article was written in 2021.