Edo Kiroko

Tokyo, Designated as Traditional Crafts since 2002

 Edo Kiriko, which means “cut glass”,  was originally manufactured in 1834 by Kagaya Kyubei, who worked in a glass shop in the Odenma town area of Edo, where it is currently the Tokyo area. It is said that he firstly curved and engraved on a surface of glass by Kongo sands.  In 1873, Shinagawa Glass Factory was founded and started manufacturing the glass products. In 1881, the company invited British man, Emanuel Houptman to the company as a master (Sensei) to teach Japanese the glass-cutting technique, which is the origin of the current cutting traditional method.  Consequently, this glass production was getting increased by improvement of the cutting technology and prevailing glassware. In the Taisho-era (1912 - 1926), this Edo Kiriko was improved more with the progress of the polish technology and research of glass material.  From Taisho-Era to early Showa-era (1920s - 1930s), the cutting glass was rapidly developed as Japanese craft glass.  In 1985, Edo-Kiriko was designed as Tokyo Traditional Crafts and it was designed as National Traditional Crafts in 2002.