39｜History of Glassware: Japanese Glass Manufacturers and Handmade Glass Factories Part 9

Hello everyone 🎵 Last week, I apologize for getting too passionate about my alma mater, Meiji, before my talk (lol).

My love for my alma mater remains strong no matter how old I get ♪

Son-ichi Shimada, the founder of Toyo Glass, engaged in business with the Iwasaki family of the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, built factories in Osaka, and attracted other factories to establish Osaka as a center for Japan's glass industry alongside Tokyo. In 1927 (Showa 2), he collapsed from a cerebral hemorrhage during a lecture in Kita Ward, Osaka City, and died at the age of 66. His son took over, and in 1928 (Showa 3), they introduced the latest fully automatic press molding machine from the United States and began manufacturing tumblers. Combined with the latest heavy oil-fired tank furnace, they mass-produced high-quality products. In 1931 (Showa 6), they succeeded in mass-producing lead crystal glass. At the time, it was rarely seen on the market, making them pioneers in Japan. Before the war, they began manufacturing glass cups as an alternative to canned food containers, which were widely used as a substitute for tinplate, which was scarce under production controls at the time. After the war, they began producing lighting glass for the occupation forces and manufacturing glass bottles. In 1953 (Showa 28), Toyo Glass was established and became a member of the Toyo Seikan Group, a comprehensive container manufacturer.

Toyo Glass manufactured glass bottles and tableware as part of its houseware division. In 1962 (Showa 37), they introduced the H-28 automated glass manufacturing machine. This followed the first introduction in Japan by Sasaki Glass in 1957 (Showa 32), leading to an oversupply of Japanese glass.

Subsequently, they continuously introduced state-of-the-art manufacturing machines. In 1969 (Showa 44), they introduced a press double-molding machine. This new machine could press-mold two products at once, enabling the mass supply of inexpensive, high-quality dishes and bowls. In 1978 (Showa 53), they introduced the TBM machine. This allowed them to mold tumblers with minimal pressure on the glass in the mold, enabling the production of high-quality glasses with beautiful surface textures.

Technological advancements and mass production ultimately led to the demise of handmade glass factories across Japan that had existed since the Meiji era. Whether you view this as the flow of time or something to consider with a touch of nostalgia is up to your judgment.

Toyo Glass also took on challenges with the support of the Toyo Seikan Group in terms of technology, such as developing and launching the world's first crystal tableware using titanium. However, they were often considered the third-largest player in the industry, behind rivals Sasaki Glass and Ishizuka Glass. Subsequently, they merged with Sasaki Glass, the industry's former number one, which had gone bankrupt. I feel the mystery and fate of history.

Next time, I will talk about the integration of "Toyo Glass Co., Ltd. Houseware Division" and "Sasaki Glass Co., Ltd."

and "Toyo-Sasaki Glass Co., Ltd."