Satsuma Kiriko

A light gradation created by layers of color

Satsuma Kiriko is cut glass that was produced in the Satsuma Domain at the end of the Edo period. Narioki Shimadzu began production by inviting glass artisans from Edo, and his successor, Nariakira Shimadzu, devoted his efforts to glassmaking as part of the "Shuseikan Project," said to be Japan's first Western-style industrial complex. It is said that Nariakira was fond of Satsuma Kiriko and used it as a gift for other feudal lords.

A technique once lost

After Nariakira's passing, the manufacturing of Satsuma Kiriko ceased in the early Meiji period due to a combination of the domain's financial difficulties and the turmoil of the Anglo-Satsuma War and the Satsuma Rebellion. Artisans moved to Tokyo and Osaka, and for a long time, Satsuma Kiriko became known as the "phantom glass."

In 1985, restoration began through the hands of glass factories, artisans, and researchers. It was designated as a traditional craft of Kagoshima Prefecture in 1989, and today it has become one of the crafts that represents Kagoshima.

Color transition known as "bokashi"

Satsuma Kiriko is made by layering thick colored glass over clear glass (iro-kise) and cutting it deeply and boldly. Because the colored glass is thick, the color thins gradually depending on the angle of the cut, creating a soft gradation known as "bokashi." Vivid colors, delicate cuts, and this "bokashi" are what make Satsuma Kiriko uniquely beautiful.

Satsuma Kiriko in daily life

In addition to glasses and vases, small items that can be worn, such as earrings, hair ties, and pendants, are also produced. The glass, which changes its expression every time it catches the light, is also appreciated as a gift.

See Deshimaru's Satsuma Kiriko