We aim to promote the wonderful heritage of British cut glass, and provide opportunities to revive cut glass as a trade. Motivated by our longstanding regard for the UK, Toru Horiguchi visited the Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) at the University of Edinburgh in November 2019, as a continuation of our activities since 2015.

To begin with, we met with Dr Jessamy Kelly, a lecturer in the Glass department and a former designer of Cambria Crystal; Ingrid Phillips, a glass technician; Sally Haden, a historian who is researching Edo kiriko and British glass; Diane Irving, a descendant of Emanuel Hauptmann, the British engineer who first taught cut glass technology in Japan; and Dr Jill Turnbull, a historian.

Toru Horiguchi’s works were acquired by Bristol Museum and Art Gallery in the UK.

Work: Genkan (lit., ‘intense cold’)
Size: W 230 mm x H 84 mm

I first learnt about Horiguchi Kiriko at a lecture arranged by the Japan Society, London, in 2016. Toru Horiguchi gave a talk about Edo kiriko, cut glass from Edo, now called Tokyo. I was interested to hear how his grandfather, Ichio Horiguchi, a master glass-cutter, had learnt techniques handed down from an English glass-cutter, Emmanuel Hauptmann, who had arrived in Tokyo during the Meiji Period (1868-1912) to train glass craftsmen in European techniques.
In 2017 I was lucky enough to spend time in Japan thanks to a Jonathan Ruffer research grant from the Art Fund. I was able to meet Toru Horiguchi at his workshop and watch him at work engraving glass using a wheel. I was keen to acquire some of his work to complement the fine glass collections at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. I chose a set of six sake cups beautifully cut from green-flashed glass with poetic-sounding designs such as ‘fence surrounding shrine’ and ‘connective chrysanthemum’. I was fascinated by the way that they showed both the influence of Victorian cut glass and Japanese style and attention to detail. I was also interested to learn that Toru Horiguchi was exploring the technique of glass engraving to create one-off pieces. When lit from above, shadows of pine needles scatter on the surface around the bowl.

Horiguchi Kiriko was invited to a press dinner by sake sommelier Natsuki Kikutani and chef Kazutoshi Endo. At this private event attended by local media, guests were treated to sake pairings and tastings by Japanese breweries, as well as a special sushi course prepared by chef Endo.

Guests chose their favourites from among twenty guinomi sake cups provided by Horiguchi Kiriko for the sake tasting. This was a valuable opportunity for the British media to experience Horiguchi Kiriko.

Chef Kazutoshi Endo

Chef Endo was formerly executive chef for the international Zuma group of restaurants. In 2019, he opened Japanese fine-dining sushi bar Endo at the Rotunda in central London, which has received a Michelin star.
www.endoatrotunda.com

Sake sommelier Natsuki Kikutani

Born into an Akita brewery that has been in the industry for more than 360 years, Kikutani arrived in the UK in 2009 to work as a sommelier at high-end Japanese restaurant Zuma. She went on to found the Museum of Sake in 2013, an intangible museum which provides education on the craft of sake. She organizes events and workshops to promote sake and win new sake fans. In collaboration with restaurants, retailers and wholesalers in the UK and Europe, she develops sales and PR for sake breweries in the UK
www.museumofsake.co.uk

This event brought together Edo kiriko artist Toru Horiguchi and British glass historian Sally Haden to discuss the tradition from their respective perspectives. Examining it from both the past and the present, they highlighted the particular characteristics of this very Japanese craft which was built on techniques brought from the UK, and offered an insight into the work of those who seek to preserve it for future generations. At the evening, there were a series of conversations, a video of Horiguchi at work in his studio and a display of Edo kiriko glassware. In addition to the talk session, a small installation was prepared to invite the guests to experience the beauty of Edo Kiriko in the dark.

As a guest speaker, we invited chef Yoshinori Ishii of Japanese kaiseki restaurant Umu in Mayfair. Mr Ishii commissioned Toru Horiguchi to make something special for his sashimi (raw fish) dish, which he now finds is very successful, greatly enhancing the diner’s experience.

https://www.artworkersguild.org/

Dialogues for Japanese Edo Crystal Cut-glass production already existed in Japan but significantly evolved with the introduction of British techniques in the 19th century. Through an interaction with Japanese sensibilities, this created a foundation for the Edo kiriko – or Edo cut glass – we see today. This exhibition documents dialogues between Japanese cut-glass craftsmen, devoted to ensuring the utmost quality in their craft, and to those who may use their pieces both in Japan and abroad.