Tsugaru Vidro
The charm of Japan's four seasons is colored with beautiful hues that are unique to Japan.
The greatest feature of “Tsugaru vidro" is its rich color palette. The colors have been decided on one by one, based on the theme of the harsh yet fascinating nature of Japan and Aomori, and touching the beautiful scenery of the sea and mountains. The colors have become so rich that they can represent not only Aomori but also the changing seasons of Japan, and now they offer more than 100 different colors of colored glass.
Hokuyo Glass, which produces "Tsugaru vidro" in Aomori Prefecture, began in 1949 by manufacturing floating balls for the fishing industry.
At the time, there were other factories that manufactured floating balls, but Hokuyo Glass gained a reputation for the quality of its blown balls, which were more durable than others, and by 1973, Hokuyo Glass was the top producer in Japan. In 1977, "Tsugaru vidro" was born, using the "air-blown" technique cultivated through years of manufacturing floating balls to create handmade glass that evokes the nature of Aomori.
Surrounded on three sides by the sea, Aomori Prefecture is blessed with magnificent nature and a rich climate that is beautiful from season to season. In addition to the World Heritage Site of Shirakami Mountains, Aomori is surrounded by varied nature, including Mount Hakkoda, Lake Towada, and the Oirase Mountain Stream, as well as numerous high-quality hot springs, many of which are famous and hidden.
Traditional festivals and local performing arts, such as the Cherry Blossom Festival at Hirosaki Castle in the spring and the Nebuta Festival in the summer, are still practiced here, and local cuisine and hot springs are abundant, making use of the best harvest of apples and garlic in Japan, tuna and flounder, which are famous throughout Japan, and other delicacies from the mountains and the sea.