#174　NOVEMBER 2022Glass 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.