Kenji Matsuura, a native of Chiba Prefecture, is a glass artisan responsible for product development at Sugahara Glassworks. He became fascinated with glass when he started attending glassmaking classes as an engineering student, and joined Sugahara Glassworks, a local glass manufacturer, after graduating from university.

For Kenji, glass is, in his words, a “fascinating material that I never get tired of working with.” As soon as he completes one piece, he is immediately tempted to make another. Each day, he seeks to draw out sparkling expressions within the transparency of glass, constantly exploring new design ideas. Manipulating molten glass at high temperatures requires physical stamina, making the work during the summer particularly demanding. Even so, his love for glass knows no bounds.

Showing the pride of a top artisan, Kenji states, “In the end, I am creating for someone. No matter how well-designed a product may be, it will come to an end if it is not needed. Even as I incorporate the designs I want to create, I want to create something that is useful to people in society.”