Edo Kiriko HYOUSYOU : Indigo

Edo Kiriko traces its origins to 1834, when Kyubei Kagaya, a glass merchant in Edo’s Odenmacho district, is said to have engraved the surface of glass after studying British cut glass. An account from the closing years of the Edo period relates that Commodore Perry admired a finely cut glass bottle presented by Kagaya.

During the Meiji period, Western cutting and engraving methods were introduced under British technical guidance, laying the foundation for many of the precise techniques still practiced today. Early Edo Kiriko was cut into clear glass.

Today, most pieces are made with iro-kise glass, which layers colored glass over a clear body.

About the Making Process

Kiriko is a glass-cutting technique in which patterns are carved into the surface with rotating metal and whetstone wheels.
Edo Kiriko is cut without a full drawing on the glass; the craftsperson relies on only a few lines and dots to create its intricate traditional patterns.
The craft includes clear-glass pieces known as suki and colored-overlay pieces known as iro-kise.
The following process describes the making of iro-kise Edo Kiriko.

1. Waridashi and Sumitsuke (Layout and Marking)

• The design is arranged to suit the shape of the vessel. Small guide marks are applied in bengara pigment with a bamboo stick or brush.
• Using these marks as a reference, the craftsperson lightly scores the main lines of the pattern with a whetstone.

2. Arazuri and Sanbangake (Rough Cutting and Refinement)

• During arazuri, wet kongosha abrasive is placed on a rotating iron wheel called a kanaban, and the marked grooves are widened.
• The coarsest grade of abrasive is used to cut to roughly three-quarters of the intended width and depth, leaving room for later adjustment. The principal lines of the design are established at this stage.
• During sanbangake, a finer abrasive is used to refine the rough-cut grooves. Wheels of different diameters and thicknesses are selected to suit the vessel and pattern.

3. Ishikake (Whetstone Finishing)

• Rotating whetstones refine the shape of the cuts and smooth their surfaces.
• Fine motifs that cannot be produced with the iron wheel are cut at this stage, and the remaining abrasive texture is carefully removed.

4. Migaki (Polishing)

• Water and polishing compound are used to restore clarity and luster to the frosted cut surfaces.
• Wooden wheels made from paulownia or willow, as well as felt and bristle wheels, are selected according to the piece.

MAKER · OTA, TOKYO

Glass That Changes with Every Moment

Nabetani Glass Crafts creates Edo Kiriko whose appearance changes with the light and the angle of view. Deep hand-cut patterns and layered colors interact with light, revealing the many expressions of glass.