江戸切子とは – 英語で説明するために – 英会話形式で学ぶ

Hey Key, I came across some Edo Kiriko glasses the other day, and they looked stunning. Do you know much about them?

Really? I just thought they were beautiful glasses. When did this craft actually begin?

So it has been around for nearly 200 years! What makes Edo Kiriko different from other glassware?

Oh, I think I saw red and blue glass with patterns. They looked so shiny.

That’s amazing. Are there specific designs that are common in Edo Kiriko?

I like how it’s not just decoration but also carries cultural meaning.

Wow, that must be tough. So each glass is actually unique, isn’t it?

Besides their beauty, how are these glasses used in daily life?

So they combine function and beauty. That sounds very Japanese.

Are they still popular today, or are they just for collectors?

I can see why. They’d make a wonderful present. Do people outside Japan know about Edo Kiriko too?

Interesting. I didn’t realize it had international fame.

That makes me want to try using it every day, not just keep it on a shelf.

History
Edo Kiriko is a traditional Japanese glass craft that started in Edo, today’s Tokyo, around 1834. A craftsman named Kagaya Kyūbei first began cutting patterns into glass, and this new style soon spread. Over time, Edo Kiriko became one of Japan’s most famous crafts. In 1985, it was named a traditional craft of Tokyo, and in 2002, it was recognized as a national traditional craft of Japan.

Features
The main feature of Edo Kiriko is the delicate cut patterns. Craftsmen carve designs into clear or colored glass, often using “layered colored glass.” Popular patterns include chrysanthemum, hemp leaf, and yarai, which looks like a bamboo fence. These designs are not only beautiful but also carry cultural meanings, such as health, beauty, or good luck.

Charm
Edo Kiriko is special because it shines like a jewel. When light hits the glass, the cuts reflect and bend it, creating different looks from every angle. Each piece is handmade, so no two are the same. This makes every item unique. Edo Kiriko is both useful and artistic. People use it as sake cups, drinking glasses, or vases, but it is also admired as art.

Popularity Today
Edo Kiriko is still very popular. In Japan, it is often chosen as a gift for weddings or anniversaries. Tourists love to buy it as a Tokyo souvenir, and some workshops let visitors try glass-cutting themselves. Abroad, Edo Kiriko is shown in exhibitions in places like New York and Paris. Today, designers also make modern Edo Kiriko for interior decoration and even jewelry, so it continues to evolve while keeping tradition alive.

Hey Key, I came across some Edo Kiriko glasses the other day, and they looked stunning. Do you know much about them?

ねえキー、この前、江戸切子のグラスを見かけたんだけど、すごくきれいだったんだ。君は詳しい？

Really? I just thought they were beautiful glasses. When did this craft actually begin?

そうなんだ！ただきれいなグラスだと思ってたよ。いつ頃から始まったの？

So it has been around for nearly 200 years! What makes Edo Kiriko different from other glassware?

じゃあ、もう200年近くも続いてるんだ！普通のガラス製品と何が違うの？

Oh, I think I saw red and blue glass with patterns. They looked so shiny.

ああ、赤や青のガラスで模様が入ったのを見たよ。すごく輝いてた。

That’s amazing. Are there specific designs that are common in Edo Kiriko?

すごいね。江戸切子でよく使われるデザインってあるの？

I like how it’s not just decoration but also carries cultural meaning.

ただの飾りじゃなくて、文化的な意味もあるのがいいね。

Wow, that must be tough. So each glass is actually unique, isn’t it?

へえ、大変そうだね。じゃあ、一つひとつが全部違うってこと？

Besides their beauty, how are these glasses used in daily life?

見た目の美しさ以外に、普段はどうやって使うの？

So they combine function and beauty. That sounds very Japanese.

なるほど、実用性と美しさの両方を持ってるんだね。すごく日本的だな。

Are they still popular today, or are they just for collectors?

今でも人気があるの？それともコレクター向けなの？

I can see why. They’d make a wonderful present. Do people outside Japan know about Edo Kiriko too?

それも納得だな。贈り物にぴったりだよね。日本以外でも知られてるの？

Interesting. I didn’t realize it had international fame.

へえ、そんなに国際的に有名だとは知らなかったよ。

That makes me want to try using it every day, not just keep it on a shelf.

それなら、棚に飾るだけじゃなくて、毎日使ってみたくなるね。

History
Edo Kiriko is a traditional Japanese glass craft that started in Edo, today’s Tokyo, around 1834. A craftsman named Kagaya Kyūbei first began cutting patterns into glass, and this new style soon spread. Over time, Edo Kiriko became one of Japan’s most famous crafts. In 1985, it was named a traditional craft of Tokyo, and in 2002, it was recognized as a national traditional craft of Japan.

江戸切子は、1834年頃に江戸、つまり現在の東京で始まった日本の伝統的なガラス工芸です。加賀屋久兵衛という職人が初めてガラスに模様を彫り、この新しいスタイルはすぐに広まりました。やがて江戸切子は日本を代表する工芸のひとつとなりました。1985年には東京都の伝統工芸品に、2002年には国の伝統的工芸品に指定されました。

Features
The main feature of Edo Kiriko is the delicate cut patterns. Craftsmen carve designs into clear or colored glass, often using “layered colored glass.” Popular patterns include chrysanthemum, hemp leaf, and yarai, which looks like a bamboo fence. These designs are not only beautiful but also carry cultural meanings, such as health, beauty, or good luck.

江戸切子の主な特徴は、繊細なカット模様です。職人は透明ガラスや色ガラスに模様を彫り込み、とくに「色被せガラス」という技法がよく使われます。代表的な模様には、菊つなぎ、麻の葉、そして竹垣のように見える矢来（やらい）があります。これらの模様は美しいだけでなく、健康、美しさ、幸運など文化的な意味も持っています。

Charm
Edo Kiriko is special because it shines like a jewel. When light hits the glass, the cuts reflect and bend it, creating different looks from every angle. Each piece is handmade, so no two are the same. This makes every item unique. Edo Kiriko is both useful and artistic. People use it as sake cups, drinking glasses, or vases, but it is also admired as art.

江戸切子が特別なのは、宝石のように輝くことです。光が当たるとカット部分が反射したり屈折したりして、見る角度によって違った表情を見せます。すべて手作業で作られるため、同じものは一つもなく、どれも唯一無二の存在です。江戸切子は実用品でありながら芸術品でもあります。酒器やグラス、花瓶として使われるだけでなく、美術品として鑑賞されてもいます。

Popularity Today
Edo Kiriko is still very popular. In Japan, it is often chosen as a gift for weddings or anniversaries. Tourists love to buy it as a Tokyo souvenir, and some workshops let visitors try glass-cutting themselves. Abroad, Edo Kiriko is shown in exhibitions in places like New York and Paris. Today, designers also make modern Edo Kiriko for interior decoration and even jewelry, so it continues to evolve while keeping tradition alive.

江戸切子は今でもとても人気があります。日本では結婚祝いや記念日の贈り物としてよく選ばれます。観光客には東京のお土産として愛され、体験工房でガラスカットを試すこともできます。海外ではニューヨークやパリといった都市で展示され、日本を代表するガラス工芸として紹介されています。現在ではインテリアやジュエリー用のモダンなデザインも作られており、伝統を守りつつ進化を続けています。