Miniature Kiriko Glasses

Japanese artist 八戸めぐみ Megumi Hachinohe (@meguxmini) recently participated in a Twitter hashtag campaign called #多分私しかやってない (I'm probably the only one doing this) for artists to show off their unique works.

Her art is indeed unique. She creates minuscule yet detailed reproductions of traditional 切子 Kiriko-style glasses. Kiriko, or 薩摩切子 Satsuma Kiriko, is a method of glass etching inspired by Dutch and English glasswork and originally manufactured by the Satsuma clan from the final years of the Edo period to the beginning of the Meiji period (1868–1912).

Feast your eyes on her gorgeous handicraft, painstakingly sculpted, shaved and etched out of acrylic rods. Without the fingertip providing a sense of scale, you would have a hard time believing that these glasses are a mere 7 millimeters tall!

As you can see, she not only designs traditional glasses but also Kiriko-inspired teacups with saucers. The details on each piece are astonishingly intricate, not only in the etched patterns but also the coloring. The last picture above shows her creations in the process of being finished, still attached to the acrylic rods from which they were fashioned.

According to an article in Hint Pot, Hachinohe has been doing miniatures for about 18 years. She originally began making clay teapots and then, as she became more interested in the world of miniature art, she created miniatures with motifs such as furniture, food and flowers. The idea to make Kiriko miniatures out of acrylic rods came to her in 2018, and she has been creating them ever since. Each work, made in a painstaking process involving sculpting, coloring, drying, then etching, takes anywhere between 3 to 10 days.

And just look at the gorgeous, colorful results:

She also makes glasses likes these in cute shades of pink:

People reacting to her amazing handiwork on Twitter have left comments such "These glasses would be perfect for a luxurious doll party." Others exclaim that they want to buy them on the spot, and yet others express their amazement at her skills.

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If you're interested in buying some of your own, please follow the links to her Etsy and Minne online shops in the Tweet below, and follow her Twitter account for updated information on when her works will go on sale. If you happen to be in Japan at the right time, you can also buy her works at craft and design events when she attends them.