Bottles and old window glass have been in someone's hands for a long time. Once their purpose is over, they are carefully washed, the labels removed, and put back into the furnace. Enveloped in a high-temperature flame, they are given a new lease of life, imbued with a soft, faint glow.
The person in charge of this handiwork is Ms. Aiko Hiraiwa, a glass artist in Ome city.
" I've always liked glass, or rather transparent things, since I was a child, and I think it all started with the question, 'How is glass made?'"
When he was a student, he came across a book in the library and was captivated by the image of a craftsman in it, so he decided to meet him and went to Okinawa.
She then spent seven years honing her skills under the tutelage of master craftsman Mr. Masao Tobaru at Okinawa's long-established Okuhara Glass Factory. Ms. Hiraiwa is an incredibly positive and proactive man who plunged into the world of craftsmanship, but it was in Okinawa that he discovered that Mr. Tobaru, a senior colleague who would become his mentor, was the creator of the photograph that was the source of his passion, and that he had already passed away.
Recycled glass has its own "characteristics" such as thickness and bubbles. This is proof of its history, which began when bottles discarded from US military bases were reused in Okinawa after the war, amid a resource shortage. By using discarded bottles and other materials, tiny impurities are trapped inside the glass, creating a soft glow. 
The thick glass fits naturally in your hand and gives it a solid presence. 
"Making recycled glass requires a lot of time and effort, such as removing labels from used liquor bottles and washing them. Also, since it cools down faster than regular glass during production, it is not suitable for fine work, so you need to work quickly."
A movement where boldness and delicacy intersect, a moment when flame and breath become one... The "soul of Ryukyu glass" nurtured by the Okinawan climate is the basis of her work, and he creates every day while exploring her own shape, size, weight, etc.
Hitchy Glass. "Hitchy" means "frequently" in Okinawa dialect. Created with consideration for shapes and comfort that can be enjoyed in everyday use. Many of her works have names that use Okinawan dialect words.
She currently works hard every day at his workshop in Ome City, Tokyo. We visited her workshop!
A blue door reminiscent of the Okinawan sea
There is a lovely shop next to the workshop where you can purchase the works. 
The used bottles that are used as materials require various preparations, such as carefully removing the labels, washing them thoroughly, sorting them by color, and crushing them into small pieces.
Rather than creating unusual pieces, the aim was to create "beauty of utility" that is naturally present in everyday life and can be felt through use. Glass changes its appearance depending on the angle and intensity of the light that shines through it, and it also possesses a sublime beauty that will take your breath away. It is likely to bring small joys into your life and add a gentle touch of color to your dining table or windowsill.
Like drops of light drifting on the river of time, fragments of time gone by are embraced by the flame and given new life. They then quietly weave a story in someone's daily life... Imagine such a scene, and this is a piece of pottery that you will want to gently nestle into a page in your life from now on.
Click here for Nijinoha's works
