Edo Kiriko GENEN : Blue Ink

Kaito Nabetani, Fourth Generation

Kaito Nabetani did not grow up assuming that he would inherit the family workshop. What changed him was watching his father, Junichi, work: the concentration at the cutting wheel, the control required to guide glass by hand, and the way years of practice became visible in a finished surface.

After gaining experience at Kagami Crystal, Kaito joined Nabetani Glass Crafts in 2018 and began training under his father. He carries the fourth generation of the workshop, but his aim is not simply to repeat what came before. He studies inherited patterns and methods closely, then looks for forms, cuts, and compositions that can create a new encounter with light.

A Workshop Founded in 1949

Founded in Ota, Tokyo, in 1949, Nabetani Glass Crafts has passed its practice through four generations. The workshop selects crystal glass and cuts each piece by hand, pursuing work that feels both substantial and finely resolved.

Under third-generation craftsperson Junichi Nabetani, the studio developed a visual language of deeper, sharper cutting, greater physical presence, and a broader use of color. Kaito inherits that foundation while developing his own designs. The result is continuity understood as a living discipline: preserve the knowledge, raise its level, and make room for the next expression.

Precision Has a Rhythm

The cutting wheel removes material; it does not allow an easy correction. Yet accuracy is not achieved by moving as slowly as possible. One of the lessons Kaito learned from his father is that an overly hesitant pass can leave steps and irregularities in the cut surface. The maker must balance pressure, angle, speed, and timing in a single controlled movement.

This is where the hand remains essential. A drawn line may establish the plan, but the final character comes from repeated decisions made against the rotating wheel—how far to cut, where two lines should meet, and when to stop. The process leaves no signature on the surface except the quality of the cut itself.

Kaito received gold awards in the tableware category of the Edo Kiriko New Works Exhibition in 2021, 2022, and 2023. The record recognizes his work as a maker and forms part of the workshop’s continuing development across generations.

Light, Made Legible from Afar

Cut glass is difficult to judge on a screen: a dark color can hide the depth of a cut, while a dramatic reflection can make a shallow surface appear more complex than it is. The distance is reduced through evidence—a named maker, views of the vessel’s form, close views of cut intersections, and photographs in both transmitted and reflected light. The purpose is not to simulate holding the glass, but to show how cutting, color, and light interact in the work of this workshop.