Aderia | Tsugaru Vidro: A Craft by Hokuyo Glass That Is Popular for Its Vidro Cups, Drinking Vessels, and Flower Vases

Brand

A Group of Artisans Who Continue to Challenge the Notion That “Craftsmanship Is Not Perfect”

Hokuyo Glass Co., Ltd.

• 1949
• Tsugaru Vidro
• Tomonori Kabeya

History

Creating Tsugaru Vidro and Transforming It Into a Traditional Craft

Hokuyo Glass is a handicraft glass factory with a long history in Aomori Prefecture.

We were founded in 1949 as a factory that produces glass floats for fishing. At that time, there were other companies that produced glass floats, but our’s were firmly evaluated as being stronger than those of other companies.

This eventually led us to becoming Japan’s top producer of glass floats in 1973.

Following this, the predominant material used to produce glass floats changed from glass to resin products. However, in 1977, we created "Tsugaru Vidro" by utilizing the "glassblowing" technique that was cultivated during the production of glass floats.

Afterwards, our artisans focused on developing their craftmanship, and continued to devote themselves to independently study advance techniques such as “glassblowing,” and the unique formulation ratio of raw materials to produce beautiful colored glass.

Hokuyo Glass is constantly striving to develop new techniques and products, and has now had Tsugaru Vidro certified as a traditional craft of Aomori Prefecture.

Characteristic

Green, the Color Created by Chance, and a Carefully Guarded Formulation Recipe

Hokuyo Glass originally produced glass that was colorless and transparent.

However, when one of our artisans added sand from Shichiri Nagahama (Aomori Prefecture), which is famous as a scenic site, as a raw material in production, an indescribable deep green-colored glass was formed.

From then, our artisans have immersed themselves in making colors.

Tsugaru Vidro, which was also created in a similar fashion, is "handmade glass that allows you to sense the four seasons."

It is created by the hands of our glass artisans, using their various techniques combined.

Tsugaru Vidro is characterized by its soft and warm colors, which are created by a unique formulation recipe that is carefully guarded.

Hokuyo Glass expresses the colors of the four seasons that are unique to Japan by using more than 100 varieties of colored glass, which we have formed over many years of judgement and experience, through means such as changing the formulation based on the weather and temperature.

By combining various colors of glass, we also express the strength, delight, and fleeting nature of the changing seasons.

For Customers

Tsugaru Vidro Continues to Evolve With New Sensibilities

As an increasing number of cheap glass products are produced overseas, Hokuyo Glass has been striving to create "glassware that enriches lives" by sticking to handiwork.

The fact that our products are "handmade" does not mean that they are poorly crafted or compromise on quality.

Instead, it demonstrates that we are making products with the pride of exploring techniques and increasing value.

Recently, as the factory has gained more female artisans, we have also been expanding the possibilities of Tsugaru Vidro by developing products with new sensibilities, such as single-flower vases and oil lamps.

Our Tsugaru Vidro is something that each of us produce with our pride as artisans who form colors, artisans who blow glass, artisans who polish and complete, and artisans who inspect.

Please be sure to enjoy Tsugaru Vidro, the glassware that expresses the four seasons of Japan.