Moving forward with “things that exist among us”
Things that take shape, things that transition
Following their 2021 interview, Workshop Director Noboru Gunji and General Manager Chieko Gunji discussed in this interview how the pandemic and climate change have affected both their personal perspectives and the society around them, focusing on the changes they hope to see emerge.
※Please note that business and school names are listed without honorifics.
(Interviewer: Freelance writer Mika Hosokawa, August 2025)
Feedback from media outlets and companies regarding the previous interview
– Since the last interview, published in March 2021, have there been any changes?
Chieko: Well, it’s truly heartwarming that so many customers come to the Ryuhyo Glass Museum after learning about our philosophy and share kind words like, “We’re rooting for you!”
Releasing the interview in June 2021 made communicating with everyone much easier. Before that, many inquiries were along the lines of “Who is Studio Director Noboru Gunji?”, “Why make glass products in Abashiri?”, “What is Ryuhyo Glass Museum?”- I spent an excessive amount of time responding to these inquiries.
Now, I tell new interviewers to first read the article about us so they come in with a better understanding of our story. This allows me to have deeper conversations with those interviewers who show genuine interest.
Nationwide media appearances include, for example, an appearance on and collaboration with NHK Educational TV’s “Suiencer” in January 2022, and a feature in the “People” section of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper in February 2023. In July of the same year, Morinaga Confectionery’s “Morinaga Sustainable” project featured us on a page introducing people engaged in sustainable initiatives, where Kyoro-chan interviewed us. More recently, we were featured internationally on NHK World’s program “Zero Waste Life.”
Noboru: One corporate project involved a request from Pigeon Corporation inquiring if we could transform collected heat-resistant baby bottles into something else?
However, the melting temperature of heat-resistant glass used for baby bottles differs from that of “blown glass” we typically work with and is impossible to melt with our existing equipment. So, we experimented with prototypes and small accessories using an oxygen torch to shape them with precise, concentrated heat while utilizing their form.
Feedback from media outlets and companies regarding the previous interview
Chieko: After repeated trial-and-error exchanges, we ultimately decided to conduct a proof-of-concept experiment. Instead making products for sell, we would try out the heat-resistant cups made by utilizing the original shape of the baby bottles to test their usability.
For a few months, we used the prototypes at the Scenic Cafe Boshi Iwa, located adjacent to the Ryuhyo Glass Museum, to serve hot drinks on the menu. We collected customer feedback through surveys. We provided input on the survey results and concluded the project for the time being.
Noboru: We have also received responses from the education sector. In one instance, a professor from an art college asked me to speak at his materials theory lecture. I ended up giving a roughly one-hour online lecture about our initiatives. We have also consulted with high schools and teacher training colleges on STEAM education. (STEAM is an educational method that integrates the study of five fields – Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics – and fosters “21st century skills” such as the ability to apply knowledge, creativity, and problem-solving.)
In all cases, the initial contact came from people who found our website or read our interview. Because they reached out after thoroughly understanding why we started this shop and our intentions, the conversations progressed smoothly, which turned out to be very positive.
Current status and challenges with corporate collaborations
– So, you have seen an increase in cases where companies approach you for consultation, such as your collaboration with Pigeon Corporation.
Chieko: Yes, that’s right. As a small workshop, our strength lies in our flexibility, and we consider it a great honor to be able to accept such inquiries from companies.
It was around the time SDGs started gaining significant attention. And also with the pandemic, companies began to focus more on sustainability. Perhaps because the Ryuhyo Glass Museum had already been working on this since its opening, people thought to hear what we had to say and to consult us.
Noboru: Hamada Co., Ltd., a Kansai-based waste disposal company, approached us with the inquiry if we could create glassware using recycled glass from solar panels. At that time, it was still in the experimental stage, and methods for separating the panels were still being developed. Despite this, we melted the glass, tried it for production, and provided feedback on our experiences and findings. It was deeply rewarding to have been able to participate in this project.
Later, I came across a newspaper article discussing efforts underway to strengthen laws regarding solar panel recycling, and how advancements in sorting technology, driven by corporate initiatives, are paving the way for resource recovery. It made me happy to think that our involvement might have contributed in some small way.
Chieko: Other inquiries cover a wide range of topics. Among them, a common request is whether we can melt down our own glassware that can no longer be used, and turn it into new products. Fifteen years ago, initiatives like upcycling or recycling were expected as the norm. But today, the market is flooded with recycled goods, and many still fail to consider what happens “afterwards” with their products. The best solution is to choose recyclable materials from the onset when creating products. We hope people will choose products with the product’s post-use fate in mind. We don’t want to be the ones left to clean up afterwards.
Noboru: First and foremost, glass varies in material and properties depending on the manufacturer. As mentioned earlier, with heat-resistant glass, it is difficult to mix and use different types of materials unless they share the same composition. That’s why recycling glass has not been as advanced as you think. Here in our shop, we always start by experimenting with how each type of glass can be processed. So, honestly, it’s faster to consult the original manufacturer first.
In reality, there are aspects that small workshops like ours simply cannot tackle alone unless manufacturers genuinely step up to meet the challenge. I was thrilled to find a newspaper article reporting that flat glass manufacturers have started collecting and reusing glass from solar panels. It’s easy to imagine that the larger the manufacturing scale, the harder it is to change standardized practices.
Chieko: That’s precisely why we might have to continue our work on prototypes here at our workshop. We have started to think in terms of what we can do within the realm of our capabilities. If manufacturers seriously start considering what happens after disposal when they produce goods, then perhaps our role won’t be needed anymore.
We often get requests to create original products. But for us, it actually involves quite a bit of risk. For example, after a product is discontinued, we may be prohibited from selling the items. This leads to usable products being discarded. One apparel company that took environmental initiatives seriously discontinued printing custom logos in 2021 to extend the lifespan of clothing and minimize environmental impact. We, too, have decided to start taking action in our own way.
Noboru: In collaboration with Teshikaga Town, we intentionally varied the design of the “Kawayu Onsen Yunohana Glass” products, colored with mineral deposits from the hot springs of Kawayu, to offer unique items at each location. This encourages customers who shop in Abashiri to think about checking out another version in, for example, Teshikaga Town, and vice versa. This creates a positive cycle, right? So now, we decline requests for “exclusive original products” and instead focus on working together to find “mutually beneficial approaches.”
The decision to shut down the melting furnace in summer, and the overall suspension of glassblowing workshops
– Following an increase in inquiries from companies, you have suspended your glassblowing workshops since October 2023.
Chieko: To focus on responding to corporate inquiries, we’ve decided to temporarily suspend the glassblowing workshops. Within our limited time and personnel, we base our work on balancing product creation and social initiatives.
When we receive inquiries from companies, we start by creating prototypes. Then, we gather feedback over a period of one to two years. Although we ran into conflicts, we decided that prioritizing our cooperation in resolving corporate challenges was the right approach. We sincerely apologize to those who were looking forward to the glassblowing experience as a memorable part of their trip. We tell them that we need to take a break for now as we offer options such as workshops that don’t involve heat or one of our other activities that don’t involve using glass.
– Shutting down the furnace in the summer was also a major decision, right?
Noboru: I agonized over it and took a long time to come to my decision. Glass has this image of “coolness,” so people want to buy it and experience it in the summer. But in reality, summer is when heat is wasted the most―we can’t even use the produced heat for indoor heating―and our studio can exceed 40 degrees Celsius. I believe our shop is the coolest workshop, climate-wise, out of all glass workshops in Japan. Yet it’s still unbearably hot in the summer. Working while dazed from the heat just felt wrong. So, in 2021, I decided to shut down the melting furnace from July to September.
One thing I should mention is that just because we shut down the furnace doesn’t mean we take a break and do nothing. There’s plenty to do during this period, too―processing work that doesn’t require heat, making tools, maintaining equipment, and so on.
Chieko: The Ryuhyo Glass Museum primarily uses electricity to power its melting furnaces. We felt it necessary to rethink the very process of generating heat to melt glass during the summer months when electricity is in short supply. By adjusting our annual production schedule, we could manufacture glass during the winter while also using the heat from the furnace for heating. When we stopped the furnaces, our staff were delighted, saying, “It’s not hot anymore―this is great!” Visitors also expressed joy, remarking, “It’s a glass workshop, yet it’s not hot,” and “The sea breeze feels wonderful.” On the other hand, some visitors did ask, puzzled, “Why did you stop?” But as we explained our reasoning, they gradually came to understand.
Noboru: Our clients understand our concept, so they place orders early and make plans two months in advance, making every effort to ensure smooth communication. However, within the glass industry, it is simply taken for granted that glass production continues even in the heat, and the simple idea of shutting down the furnace to take a break may not even exist.
Chieko: Questioning common sense is important, I think. The other day, I went to a public facility in Abashiri, and inside it was freezing from the air conditioning… Since the breeze outside felt pleasant, opening the windows to let in the wind should have been enough to cool the indoors. Stepping outside from the overly chilled indoors, made the outside temperature, under 30 degrees, feel excessively hot.
I am terrified that we have fallen into this default mindset of automatically turning on the AC just because. That one-size-fits-all solution doesn’t fit here. The outdoor AC units dump heat back into the streets, making the whole town hotter, forcing us to try to cool down even more… It’s a vicious cycle. The same goes for clothing. I wish we lived in a society where people could dress according to the season, the temperature, and how they actually feel. When it’s hot, why can’t we just wear a polo shirt and shorts instead of a long-sleeved shirt and tie?
Noboru: Around the same time, demand for our Connectrip guiding service also started growing, creating a positive overall trend. Taking a break from glass production in the summer to go kayaking has become our “new summer tradition.” Even if people visiting Abashiri find one less activity because we don’t offer our glassblowing workshop, the extra time spent guiding allows us to provide different experiences instead. Thinking about it that way, I’ve come to realize it might actually be just fine as is.
– What is “Connectrip”?
Noboru: It started when I launched the Okhotsk Rural Tourism Promotion Council with friends in Abashiri in 2018. In the Okhotsk region, nature and primary industries coexist right alongside our daily lives. We decided to create a program to train guides who could convey that appeal.
However, tourism completely collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020… Actually, back when I was training in glassmaking in Okinawa, I used to do water sports like surfing and kayaking. Even after returning to Hokkaido, I kept thinking I would love to do that again someday. So, when this opportunity came up, I thought, “This is it!” I took lessons from a canoe guide and spent about three months thoroughly learning the basics. Then I recruited guides to form a team, and that became the current form of Connectrip.
The conditions are tough, but we operate in winter as well. Paddling across the sea with drift ice, we share stories about how the drift ice helps fish grow, or I get to reveal that I actually am a glass artisan. Sometimes these clients end up visiting the Ryuhyo Glass Museum, which makes me feel that all of my endeavors are somehow connected.
Now that I shut down the furnace in the summer, some days I guide in the morning and work in the glass studio in the afternoon. Sometimes, guests from my tours tell me they would love to see my glasswork and stop by. Kayaking, which requires no energy. And glassmaking, which uses fire; this contrast to me is really nice.
The use of Eco Pirika spreads to glass workshops around Hokkaido and beyond
– I heard that the recycled fluorescent lamp glass cullet, Eco Pirika, is also being used by other workshops.
Noboru: That’s right. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a steady increase in repeat orders of Eco Pirika. With raw material prices rising nationwide, workshops searching for alternatives found us. For a while, we were getting several inquiries a month―honestly, it was almost too much to handle.
We had been preparing to sell Eco Pirika since opening the Ryuhyo Glass Museum in 2010, thinking it would be great if other workshops could also use it. But for about ten years, our wish was never realized.
Chieko: Shipping costs were so high that it wasn’t profitable for workshops outside Hokkaido. But since many glass studios in Hokkaido source their materials from Tokyo, you could say we were just on the opposite side of the equation. We were truly grateful that people still wanted to use recycled glass, even with the added transportation costs. Recently, we have also received orders from individuals and students who wish to use it for their graduation projects or prefer environmentally conscious materials. These encounters make us really happy.
– What will happen to Eco Pirika once fluorescent lamp production comes to an end?
Noboru: We knew from the start that fluorescent lamp production would eventually come to an end and that recycled glass would eventually run out. But even with that in mind, we want to carefully do what we can now while communicating this reality.
We named our recycled fluorescent lamp glass cullet Eco Pirika because we wanted it to circulate as raw material. We affix an Eco Pirika sticker and engrave the Eco Pirika mark on products made at the Ryuhyo Glass Museum. This helps us identify them for collection and reuse after use. Nothing lasts forever, so we want to collect what we make and use it for as long as possible. However, since most people travel by plane, bringing broken glass back to our shop is a bit of a hurdle.
That’s why we envision a world where workshops using Eco Pirika would expand. If products made from Eco Pirika in one workshop can be collected by another workshop, and this cycle continues, then even when fluorescent lights are no longer used, the resources can still circulate. We hope society can gradually move towards this kind of world. Naming it “Eco (from ecology) Pirika (meaning ‘correct’ or ‘beautiful’ in the Ainu language)” also reflects this aspiration.
Products generated from recycled materials
– So, is it correct that new products are also being created from broken and recycled glass?
Chieko: Yes. After running the glass studio for over ten years, the colored glass scraps we had saved, thinking we would use someday, just kept piling up. Blue products matching the image of Abashiri and drift ice sell the best, so we have the most scraps of that color. Regarding color, even if we thought that one of the blues from one of the glass products was a bit lighter than our standard, we began to wonder if a slight difference in color really mattered to our customers. Maybe it was just us being too particular about the “best” blue, when, in fact, a slightly different shade of blue could be just as acceptable.
That left us feeling frustrated about having materials but not using them. Rather than going out of the way to use virgin materials to perfectly match colors, we decided to focus on how to make use of the scrap glass we already had. This is how “Rinne” which is made from scrap glass and recycled glass, was born.
Noboru: For the colors, No. 1 is blue; No. 2 is light blue; No. 3 is orange; and No. 4 is green. It’s less about aiming for specific colors and more about accidentally creating beautiful ones. It’s precisely because I never know what color will turn out that makes me a little excited every time.
There was actually a phantom color No. 3. I originally planned to make pink No. 3; however, when I melted the pink scrap material, it turned transparent… It appears that the color vanished due to a chemical reaction between iron and other components. So, the phantom color No. 3 was sealed away. Now, I mix it with other colors and use it in regular products. When I try new experiments, things often don’t work out as planned. But you never know unless you try.
– Please tell us about any recent developments related to new colors or initiatives.
Noboru: We’ve resumed production of products using the color Battery Brown, which had been temporarily suspended. Originally, Battery Brown was a color made from recycled dry cell batteries. However, about 7 to 8 years ago, we stopped production because we discovered that some components within it were corroding the crucible in the glass melting furnace. However, through discussions with Nomura Kōsan Co., Ltd.’s Itomuka Mining Office, which supplies us with Eco Pirika, we thought that we could work on the problem. After trial and error, we ultimately eliminated the crucible corrosion.
Chieko: We have been receiving requests from customers and business partners who were waiting for brown colored glass products, and we’ve been discussing how we could possibly bring them back. Finally, last year, we managed to revive them. We have also achieved consistent color production.
Everyone knows about dry cell batteries and fluorescent lights, right? So, people react strongly, like, “Wait, what? Those things turn into such beautiful glass!?” While clear glass products are common, brown glass products are surprisingly rare, which is another plus for us. Now that we’ve developed more unique Ryuhyo Glass colors such as Clear, Rinne, and Battery Brown, I feel this truly symbolizes the craftsmanship the Ryuhyo Glass Museum aims for.
Since opening, we’ve consistently heard requests and comments like, “Don’t you have red glass products?” or “What about products using actual gold?” or “There aren’t enough colors.” But we place great importance on utilizing local resources and have finally reached a point where we can tangibly demonstrate our philosophy.
Reactions from the community and visitors, and what we want to cherish
– We have discussed the topic of decreasing drift ice. How do visitors react to the situation?
Chieko: Among the guests who visit during the winter’s drift ice tourism season, some are disappointed because they didn’t get to see the drift ice. Many people assume there will always be drift ice, but that is no more the case. The environment has changed―it’s different even compared to when I came to Abashiri fifteen years ago. When I talk about this, many people are extremely surprised.
Having them take a look at a graph posted on our shop wall showing the trend in drift ice volume is one way to help people understand the current situation. Many international visitors express concern about the decline in the amount of drift ice, while surprisingly, domestic customers often know less about the situation. Even if it’s just a tidbit, I think it’s incredibly meaningful to share environmental realities with customers who simply come in for the beautiful glass products or just happen to stop by while traveling.
For us who live in this region, drift ice is a barometer for sensing environmental changes. I’m sure other areas have similar phenomena occurring around them. For example, a sudden mass emergence of a specific insect, or flowers blooming at an unusual time. Keeping an eye out for such small changes is as important.
Noboru: Nowadays, more elementary schools are bringing their students here on field trips. After they experience glassmaking, we talk about the environment and recycling. We also get requests from local middle schools for lectures, and sometimes we act as guides introducing the area. I find it rewarding to share with middle and high school students how I make a living creating things right here in this place.
– What are the things you want to cherish going forward?
Chieko: Even if the shop closes or the business is passed on, I hope our efforts and philosophy will remain. It’s not like we are particularly fixated on glass making, so if the materials disappear or what we are doing becomes unwanted, we will likely scale back or stop altogether. Then we’ll have to find something new to do.
Noboru: Even so, I still have this constant urge to create something. When it comes to glass, I sometimes think that if we could achieve a world where we could adapt our work to the surrounding land and environment―such as stopping production in the summer and only making glass products in the winter―then maybe we could switch to something else besides glass making… However, until the glass industry shifts toward a model based on recycling, I believe we must continue to take the lead in our actions.
Summer is hot, so we shut down the melting furnace and avoid relying on air conditioning in the relatively cool climate of Abashiri. But more than that, we just wish to be simpler and more straightforward. We want to keep entertaining our senses by questioning the obvious and norms. “Not ceasing to think”―is precisely what we strive to do every day.
As a kayak guide, I notice the changes in the ocean and with the fish. Recently, even in Abashiri, a phenomenon known as “species shift” appears to be occurring, where salmon are no longer being caught, and instead, pufferfish and yellowtail are being caught. Simply put, changes in sea temperature are causing fish that used to be in the south to move northward. It’s not as simple as just saying, “Well, then we’ll just have to catch different fish.”
For example, salmon swim upstream, ultimately delivering nutrients to the forests. If the salmon disappear, the ecosystem of our mountains and forests would change. If the cycle of nutrients to the forests stops, the local natural environment might become unsustainable. I feel a sense of dread that the very foundation underlying the environment of our fish could collapse.
Chieko: If possible, we would like to reduce or even eliminate the packaging materials used when delivering products to customers, but we have made little progress. There are various circumstances in which customers take products home. If we try to ensure that the product “absolutely does not break,” we end up using an excess amount of packaging materials. It seems it is difficult for customers to say they don’t need the extra packaging. We would like to find a solution together on what the standards should be for packaging, or perhaps have an option in which we let the customers decide.
– What do you want to convey to your customers and to society?
Noboru: When it comes to environmental issues, I now wish to focus on spreading information on electricity. When we redesigned our website in 2021, we also announced that we were switching electricity providers. We chose a company called Hachidori Electric because its corporate philosophy resonated with us.
Many people have heard that electricity deregulation lowers bills, but the mechanism behind it is surprisingly hard to grasp. While the electricity itself remains the same, I believe it’s crucial to understand which companies―driven by what principles―receive the money we pay. That money supports the cause and keeps it in circulation. That’s why choosing with intention matters.
Chieko: I want to continue thinking and continue sharing my thoughts. Whether it’s something trivial or related to environmental issues, I often hear people say they are interested; however, many don’t know how to take actual action. But unless more people truly take ownership, realize we are all connected, and take steps toward action, it is meaningless.
Noboru: I hope society’s interest in ethical consumption and SDGs does not just fade away as a passing trend. These are things we must all continue to work on. As my life’s mission, I want to continue doing everything I can, guided by my own principles.
