Megane Freemu (Eyeglass frame)
FINY FT-002(back) and Skolé 6012-5(front) from Kaneko Gankyo, another handcraft eyeglass company from Fukui,
which controls all the aspects of eyeglass making from designing and branding to manufacturing.
They are available at Facial Index (104 Grand St., NYC / 646-613-1444).
Welcome to the Special 2008 Election Edition of Buying Japan! As our November issue goes to press, we’ll be mere days away from the presidential election, one of the most important and significant events this year – and quite possibly for the next eight years. (Please go vote.) So what better way is there to celebrate this in Chopsticks NY than to present a non-partisan pop culture take and focus on a product which was recently brought to attention by the American media – the Japanese Megane Freemu.
The strange confluence of events that brought a century old industry back into the global limelight had to do with a certain pair of glasses and the announcement of one new Vice Presidential candidate towards the end of the summer. You guessed it, it was Sarah Palin (the only four eyes on the ticket, so not that difficult of a guess). For a certain sector of the nation, it wasn’t the issues, the politics, but the fashion that came to light. Palin’s glasses were much admired, highly sought-after custom made glasses manufactured in Fukui Prefecture, Japan.
Handmade glasses. I don’t think my clumsy fingers could ever put together something like this.
If I was a glasses maker, I’d probably produce only one a year.
Fukui Prefecture is home to almost 200 Megane Freemu manufacturers, most of them in Sabae City, a trend that began in the early 20th Century. Around 1905, an entrepreneur named Gozaemon Masunaga, brought some of Japan’s best craftsmen and artisans to the area; cooperative workshops were formed, with the shared purpose of manufacturing high quality glasses. Since then, Fukui has become the premier site for the optical industry in Japan, currently producing an astonishing 90% of the glasses sold domestically in Japan, as well as holding a whopping 20% share of the world market.
What makes the Japanese Megane Freemu so unusual (and sought after) is the fact that they are handmade, a tradition that has lasted over a century. In the era of machine-based mass production, this is a rarity, and guarantees a level of handcrafted excellence not often found anymore. The majority of Megane Freemu can take close to a month to produce - compared to less than a week for a typical glasses manufacturer. Every aspect of the business, from design to production, even the selection of vendors is tightly managed in order to ensure a high standard and continued drive for perfection.
Look at how cool these are. I am a long time contact lens wearer,
but I would give up on them for a pair of these. I think I have ‘Megane envy’ now.
Sarah Palin prefers her glasses from Masunaga Optical, the legacy of Gozaemon Masunaga; world-renowned designer Kazuo Kawasaki designs these particular Meganue Freemu. Kawasaki is no ordinary designer, as he is also a scientist and medical doctor, and his frames are found in museum collections, including the Smithsonian Institute. His popular styles benefit from his ergonomic approach and simple, streamlined design, and will now even be remembered as VP worthy.
Yet non-partisan owners from all over the world remark on the quality and feel of Megane Freemu – perfectly balanced and lightweight, they are a joy to wear. If you’re looking for a change, take a look online for where you might be able to get them. Remember, you can’t get them just anywhere, so make sure they are the genuine thing!
A quick, final piece of trivia to send you to the voting booths - the Japanese town of Obama is in the historic and amazing Fukui Prefecture as well.
By Nobi Nakanishi
