When Edo's 'Iki' Aesthetic Met Glass

The story of Edo Kiriko begins in 1834, during the late Edo period. It's said that a glass wholesaler named Kagaya Kyubei, from the Odenma-cho district of Edo, first began carving designs onto glass surfaces using an abrasive powder called kongosha (emery).

At the time, Edo was already Japan's largest consumer city, boasting a massive market driven by wealthy townspeople and the samurai class. Cut glass imported through Dejima in Nagasaki, known as biidoro or giyaman, was highly coveted. However, these items were incredibly expensive, far beyond the reach of the average person.

Kagaya Kyubei's innovation was a product of the creative spirit of the era's artisans, who aimed to recreate these pricey imported goods using domestic techniques. This pattern—studying foreign luxury goods and adapting production methods to satisfy local demand—is a recurring theme in the history of Japanese crafts. The vast consumer market of Edo, combined with the refined 'iki' aesthetic of its people, created the perfect environment for this new craft to flourish. The essence of iki is not about ostentatious luxury, but a subtle beauty whose true worth is only appreciated up close—a philosophy that resonates deeply with the aesthetic of Edo Kiriko.