17｜The History of Glass: Glass Manufacturing in Japan, Part 10

We've been experiencing hot days recently, and last month was not only unusually hot for June, but there were also frequent heavy rains due to abnormal weather. I extend my deepest condolences to all those affected and pray for their swift recovery.

I’ve been talking about glass manufacturing in Japan, and now it's time for Kimoto Glass to shine. Kimoto Glass was founded in 1931 when my grandfather, Tsuyako Kimoto, established Aizawa Shoten Gomei Kaisha with Mr. Kenji Aizawa, starting as a specialized supplier to department stores. My grandmother and the grandmother of Yoshinuma Glass were cousins. So, rather than competing in the same market within the same glass industry, we established the company by dividing the market: Yoshinuma Glass handled the commercial market, and Aizawa Shoten handled the retail market.

Due to war damage, Mr. Aizawa passed away, and the store was dissolved in 1945. It was re-established as Kimoto Shoten in 1947 and then reorganized into Kimoto Glass Co., Ltd. in 1959, which continues to this day.

I often heard stories about the early days from my late father, Kiyoshi Kimoto, the second-generation owner. He said that Kimoto Glass, as a wholesaler, thoroughly researched market needs, information about glasses produced by factories, and competing products. They would then plan glasses that they believed would sell, commission handcrafted glass factories in the downtown area and Edo Kiriko craftsmen to produce glasses and Edo Kiriko, and then set their own selling prices, distributors, and wholesale prices. He always emphasized that success was their responsibility, and so was accumulating debt from unsold inventory.

Having grown up seeing this, after graduating from university and joining Mitsubishi Electric, I felt frustrated by not being able to make decisions (as a new employee, you can't, can you? (laughs)). So, I left after a few years and joined Kimoto Glass.

Even amidst the post-war chaos, there were numerous handcrafted glass factories in Tokyo and various other regions, with some estimates putting the number close to 100 companies. With the Korean War and post-war reconstruction, the Japanese economy steadily improved, and alongside it, daily life gradually became richer, with lifestyles shifting from Japanese to Western styles. As a result, the demand for glasses grew year by year, and the period around 1955 became the golden age for handcrafted glass factories.