This small town is the glasses capital of Japan

This small town is the glasses capital of Japan

Japan is known for his talented craftsmen who combine traditional techniques with modern production methods. These masters are responsible for maintaining and developing the highly valued art of craft in Japan.

The craft city of Sabae

A city that is famous for her craftsmanship is Sabae in Fukui Prefecture, about three to four and a half hours by train from Tokyo. Sabae is widely regarded as the capital of the glasses in Japan - for good reason. According to the local government, the city produces over 90 % of the glasses made in the country. There are numerous characters and objects on the streets of the city in the form of glasses, and there is even a museum and a festival that is entirely devoted to the glasses.

The art of glasses production

Sabae is located on the main island of Honshu and has been producing high -quality glasses for over a century. It all started in 1905 when a government official invited to bring talented glasses makers into the city to teach their art - an attempt to create new opportunities for local farmers. Today there are over 100 companies in Sabae who work together to produce glasses pairs.

Although modern machines are used, the production of glasses still requires the skillful craft and the trained eye of the master craftsmen from Sabae. This also includes Takeshi Yamae, a capturing designer of the Japanese brand Boston Club for 17 years. He explains: "A few glasses can require over 200 steps in the manufacture. I first design it, then sketch and enter the whole thing to my computer. From the first drawing to the perfect product, it takes more than a year."

tradition meets innovation

TAKESHI enjoys using new materials such as carbon, but does not follow the current trends because the production of new versions takes a lot of time. Instead, he looks into the future: "I think about who should wear the glasses. I am often inspired by very Japanese things, such as houses, gardens and dishes." While Sabae versions are available throughout Japan, there is something special about visiting the city and experiencing the process up close.

Some of the craftsmen who are involved in the production of glasses. "Everyone in the factories in Sabae wants to produce beautiful, high-quality products that can be used worldwide and that you can see at first glance as Sabae glasses," says Takeshi.

The Megan Museum

The Megane Museum in Sabae, which is located on Megane Straße, exhibits the many steps to produce the perfect glasses pair, which is dedicated to the art of glasses are. Many brands, including Boston Club, are invited to pop-up shops to present their designs. The museum also offers workshops in which visitors can make their own versions - the perfect souvenir. (Visitors have to book in advance.) For those who have little time, there is also a shop on site that offers thousands of versions of around 50 different manufacturers from the Fukui Prefecture.

fukui and his secrets

fukui is one of the four prefectures in Japan's Hokuriku region, alongside Toyama, Niigata and Ishikawa. Thanks to a new Shinkansen expansion that opened at the beginning of this year, it is now easier than ever to visit this less traveling region of Japan. The extension planned in 2024 ends at the Tsuruga station in Fukui, adds 125 kilometers of tracks and offers numerous new travel opportunities for international visitors who want to escape tourist masses in cities such as Tokyo and Kyoto.

The Fukui prefecture has four train stations on the extended Shinkansen line-Awara Onsen, Fukui, Echizen-Takefu and Tsuruga. Travelers can take a train from the Fukui station to make the 15-minute drive to Sabae.

attractions and activities in Fukui

fukui not only offers the capital of the glasses in Japan, but is also rich in well -preserved historical architecture and temples as well as newer attractions such as the Nishiyama Zoo, which is known for its red pandas. Also worth mentioning is the fukui dinosaur museum , which has recently been significantly expanded and one of the largest dinosaur collections in Asia. Here you will find 50 complete dinosaur skeletons, including a rare brachylophosaurus mummy fossil.

For Sakura enthusiasts, the ASUWA river that flows through the city of Fukui offers a two-kilometer long avenue with cherry trees that bloom in spring. The city is also a good starting point for visits to Maruoka Castle Park, one of the 12 remaining castle towers in Japan, as well as Eihei-Ji, one of the two main temples of Soto-Zen-Buddhism.

The natural beauty of the Fukui prefecture must also not be underestimated. The highlights include the rugged cliffs of Tojinbo and the picturesque Mikata Goko (five lakes from Mikata) with the associated Rainbow Line-an 11-kilometer street that offers views of the lakes and is located in the Quasi-Nationalpark Wakasa Bay near Tsuruga.

culinary highlights in fukui

A visit to Fukui would not be completely without experiencing the local gastronomy. Prefecture is an important rice product and offers a variety of seafood, which makes it a paradise for sushi lovers. The Echizen-Gani crabs are particularly popular-male snow crabs that are up to 80 centimeters long. These are in season from November to March and get their name from the coast for which they are famous.

tourists who want to learn more about the history of the crab fishing in the region can visit the coastal-echizen crab museum.

Special thanks go to CNN’s Maggie Hiufu Wong for your contribution to this idea.