1. How Eyeglass Making Began in Sabae as Winter Work in Snowy Fukui
Fukui Prefecture is a land where heavy snow accumulates in winter. During these months, work in the rice paddies is impossible. In 1905, a man named Gozaemon Masunaga, who served as a village councilor in a village slightly away from Sabae, thought of a solution. He wanted to create a way to earn money during the winter [1].
The work he chose was making glasses. He invited craftsmen from Osaka to teach the young people in the village how to make them [1]. This decision set the stage for a local industry that would eventually define the region.
2. How Eyeglass Craftsmen Gathered and Set Up Shops in Sabae
Craftsmen from Sabae who had honed their skills at the first eyeglass factory began returning to their hometowns to open their own shops. Additionally, after the war, many large sites formerly used by the military in the town were converted into locations for eyeglass factories. Through these developments, eyeglass making flourished in Sabae [2].
Eyeglasses are made by combining many different parts. Because it is difficult for one person to make everything, the work is divided. For example, one craftsman might make the temples, while another makes the rim parts. Each craftsman handles only the part they are best at. This method is called "division of labor" [2].
3. How Tsubame Changed from Making Nails to Making Spoons
The town of Tsubame in Niigata Prefecture has a similar story. In the Edo period, people in this town started making *wa-kugi*, which are traditional Japanese nails. They did this because rice farming was difficult due to flooding in the rivers [3].
However, when the Meiji era began, cheap nails from abroad started arriving. As a result, *wa-kugi* stopped selling. The craftsmen in the town used their skill in making nails to begin producing "Western tableware," such as spoons and forks [3]. This shift allowed the town to keep working even as the demand for their original product disappeared.
4. How Sabae and Tsubame Kept Their Skills While Changing Products
The "nails" that were first made in Tsubame are not produced much anymore. Yet, the town did not disappear. In Sabae, too, the skills used to make glasses are now applied to things other than glasses [2].
This is similar to cooking. If you understand the basics of cooking, you can make not only Japanese food but also Western food. Similarly, if a whole town possesses the "skill" to make things, it can continue its work even if the specific product changes. The underlying ability to craft objects allows the industry to survive shifts in demand.
5. How Tsubame and Sabae Chose Not to Compete on Price
After the war, Tsubame began making pots and frying pans as well, selling many of them to other countries [3]. Sabae’s eyeglass industry also chose a path that did not rely on being cheap. They refined the technology to skillfully use titanium, a metal that is light and resistant to rust. They chose to make eyeglasses that are not commonly found in other production areas [4].
Titanium is known for being lightweight and resistant to rust. By focusing on this material, these towns found ways to make unique products [4].
6. How to Find Products from Sabae and Tsubame at Home
If you are curious, look at the spoons or forks in your home. Ask an adult to show you the inside of their eyeglasses. Sometimes, "MADE IN JAPAN" or a place name is engraved on them. If you find a location written there, try to find it on a map.