58｜The History of Glass: Japanese Glass Manufacturers and Handmade Glass Factories (28)

Hello everyone🎵

We've been introducing Japanese glass manufacturers, but Kamei Glass, while being a wholesaler, developed its own brands and designs, teamed up with domestic and international glass manufacturers, created a new world of glass, and expanded the market.

Kimonoglassware also utilized Kamei Glass's product lines and procurement channels, collaborating with domestic and international glass manufacturers, and selling glasses to Aeon Group, Isetan, Mitsukoshi, and Takashimaya, among others. With that in mind, we would like to introduce Japanese glass manufacturers in conjunction with Kamei Glass's initiatives.

First up is Kitayou Glass from Aomori. As explained in the section on major glass manufacturer Adelia, it is currently a subsidiary of Ishizuka Glass. However, during Kamei Glass's heyday, Tsugaru Vidro, created by Kitayou Glass, was widely sold in department stores and specialty stores.

The origin of Kitayou Glass, which produces "Tsugaru Vidro," dates back to 1949, when it started manufacturing glass floats for fishing. At that time, there were other factories manufacturing floats, but Kitayou Glass's blown floats earned a reputation for their superior durability, leading to the highest production volume in Japan by 1973. Later, as plastic floats replaced glass ones, the company began producing large vases and other items using the "free-blowing" technique cultivated over many years of float manufacturing. Artists like Akimura Minoru blew numerous large, vividly colored vases.

Due to Aomori's geographically inconvenient location, the company supplemented raw materials like colored glass by blending them in-house. Among the many coastlines in Aomori, Shichiri Nagahama boasts particularly beautiful sandy beaches and lush natural surroundings. One day, a craftsman had an idea and added a handful of sand from Shichiri Nagahama to the raw materials. The glass then transformed into an ineffably deep green.

As a craft combining this molding technique and colored glass, "Tsugaru Vidro," consisting of tableware and vases, was born in 1977. The artisans also focused on technical development, continuously striving for new techniques, such as mastering the blending of beautiful colored glass and highly skilled techniques almost entirely through self-study.

Kamei Glass was responsible for the design and sales of these glasses and vases. After Kamei Glass went out of business, it became a subsidiary of Ishizuka Glass and began producing not only blown glass but also spin-molded glasses, as well as press-molded sake bottles/soy sauce dispensers/vases. Currently, it is designated as a traditional craft of Aomori Prefecture and is a popular product sold in hotel restaurants and as souvenirs within Aomori Prefecture.