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The online magazine HIGHLIGHTING JAPAN

NOVEMBER 2022

Glass Culture and Technology in Japan

Cover NOVEMBER 2022

INDEX

  • THEME FOR NOVEMBER Glass Culture and Technology in Japan

    This year, 2022, is the “International Year of Glass” as designated by the United Nations General Assembly. In this month’s issue, we take a look at some of the ways in which glass is made and used in Japan. We introduce glass artists such as Kuroki Kuniaki and Yamamoto Akane, whose exquisite works are admired around the world. We explain the origins and development of the distinctive crafts of Satsuma Kiriko cut glass in Kagoshima Prefecture and colorful, bubbly Ryukyu glass in Okinawa Prefecture. And we look at some of the innovative ways in which glass is being utilized in construction and architectural design, both in Japan and overseas.

     

FEATURES

  • Glass Use and Glass Crafts in Japan

    An interview with Tsuchida Ruriko, director of the Toyama Glass Art Museum and a member of the International Year of Glass Committee of Japan.

  • A Glass Artist Expressing Traditional Japanese Beauty in Glass

    Introducing glass artist Kuroki Kuniaki, whose works express Japan’s natural beauty and traditional aesthetics.

  • Traditional Patterns of Gold Suspended in Glass

    Yamamoto Akane has developed a new and original field of art known as “Kirikane Glass” inspired by the age-old kirikane decorative technique.

  • Art Center with an Impressive Glass Wall

    The facade of the National Art Center, Tokyo is a huge, undulating wall made of glass.

  • The Revival and Development of Satsuma Kiriko

    The recently revived craft of Satsuma Kiriko cut glass is characterized by its gradations of deep color and intricate cutting.

  • Ryukyu Glass, a Traditional Craft of Okinawa

    Colorful Ryukyu glass with its distinctive bubbles evokes the beautiful, sub-tropical islands of Okinawa Prefecture where it is made.

  • Development of Glass that Generates Energy from Sunlight

    A type of “photovoltaic power generation glass” has been developed in Japan that can be installed on the external walls and windows of buildings.

  • Lightweight, Strong, and Flexible Glass Fiber

    The development of ultra-fine glass fiber in Japan has expanded the possibilities of architectural design and is being used in buildings around the world.

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