About the Brand:
A glass has value, especially when it sparkles.
The Edo Kiriko’s glassware brand Hanashyo, show their devotion to glass that sparkles through their use of a hand polish technique.
The original of Edo Kiriko dates back to 1834 in the Edo period,
when a glass artisan named Kagaya Kyubei used emery powder to produce glassware engraved with patterns.
Today, Hanashyo’s artisans continue to value traditional designs while devising their own unique patterns.
Edo Kiriko is created by carving patterns into the surface of layered colour glass using a diamond tipped grinder.
At the point of carving, the glass has little sparkle. It is only when polished that this aspect of the patterns is released.
Compared to the polish achieved by chemicals, hand polishing requires time, skill and effort.
Hanashyo’s glassware are considered as the world’s best Edo Kiriko,
and are often given as gifts by the Japanese government to visiting heads of state,
including President Barack Obama in April 2014 and the leaders of the Hokkaido G8 Summit in 2008.
The wineglasses selected as gifts at the G8 Summit in Lake Toyako in 2008, used a ‘Kome Tsunagi’ (rice grain) pattern.
In each glass there were 256 small cuts in shape of rice grains. After making these 256 cuts by an experienced craftsman,
each of the ‘grains’ was polished by hand one by one.
If each grain was polished three times, it takes 768 times to complete for this part of glass solely.
About the Designers:
Through the company’s 70-year history, 3 generations of artisans have perfected the art of traditional Edo Kiriko, while also devising their own unique patterns with the aim of “achieving harmony between the splendor and brilliant serenity of Edo Kiriko.”
In the 1990s that second generation leader Ryuichi Kumakura who made the decision to begin its own workshop stores. Now in its third generation, and lead by Takayuki Kumakura, Hanashyo produces original cut glass patterns such as Kome Tsunagi, Ito Kiku Tsunagi (Fine Chrysanthemum Chain), and Tama Ichimatsu (a circular chequered pattern).
關於品牌：
玻璃製品閃閃發亮價值不菲的，唯江戶時代流傳下來的「江戶切子」Hanashyo。
利用手製打磨技術，以及對製作玻璃品的全情投入，Hanashyo品牌下的玻璃精品，件件透色度極高。
在江戶時代，大約是公元1834年，一位名叫Kagaya Kyubei的玻璃製品師，利用金剛砂粉及雕刻方法，製作出早期的「江戶切子」玻璃精品。
時至今日，Hanashyo的玻璃匠人亦十分重視傳統流傳下來的玻璃設計，並繼續創作其獨有的圖案。
「江戶切子」的製作過程是利用鑽石刀在玻璃的表層不斷研磨雕刻出設計的圖案，直至玻璃發出閃閃亮光。
相較於利用化學工序打磨而成的玻璃精品，人手製作更需要時間、技術的鑽研及心力去完成每一件成品。
Hanashyo的玻璃精品一直被世人視為世上最好的「江戶切子」，更一直是日本政府官員精心挑選、攜同出國，為各國元首獻上的國家級禮品。
於2008年，在日本北海道洞爺湖町舉辦的G8高峰會，Hanashyo品牌下Kome Tsunagi玻璃精品，就獲選為獻給各國代表的紀念禮品；
及後至2014年4月，當時的美國總統奧巴馬先生也曾獲贈「江戶切子」作為禮物。
Hanashyo的玻璃精品Kome Tsunagi如此受到器重，全因玻璃精品上的米字圖案全由資深匠人，
經過一趟256次調刻打磨，重覆3遍，即合共打磨768次製作完成。
關於設計師：
經歷70年歷史，三代玻璃製品師的努力，將「江戶切子」的傳統技藝得以臻化，並同時創新設計獨特圖案，
致力將極度奢華及極致寧靜的兩種產品予人的感覺融和一起，體現屬品牌特性的和諧美。
於90年代，「江戶切子」第二代傳人Ryuichi Kumakura先生決定開展工作室概念店，承傳至第三代，
在Takayuki Kumakura先生的領導下，Hanashyo品牌風格繼續保留江戶時代的風韻，
讓原創玻璃圖案如 Kome Tsunagi (五豐米)、Ito Kiku Tsunagi (萬壽菊) 和 Tama-Ichimatsu (玉市松) 繼續在玻璃品上大放異彩。
