Bottled Tokyo

Tokyo in a bottle...

Look closely and see if you can figure out what famous Japan landmark is reflected in the bottle.  Can you tell?  We will tell you in a minute.  First, let's look again, this time not at the reflection but at the piece of glass itself.

What does it take to turn a simple piece of glass into a work of art with a unique shape and color?  You can get the answer from a glass maker.  Glass makers are masters of their profession.  Glassblowing techniques are passed down through apprenticeship.
 
Glass making began around 3000 B.C. and the modern art of glass blowing was developed in the mid first century. Today, glass makers and glass blowers use different types of equipment and techniques to create artistic and functional pieces of glass art. The end result might be a lovely perfume bottle, a stunning sculpture, or a useful plate or bowl.


So how is glass made? To describe the process in a simple way, a glass artisan takes pieces of glass, puts them on a pipe, heats them up, then blows into the pipe and spins it until the glass is just the right shape.  

Bottled Sky Tree

By the way, did you guess correctly?  The reflection of the famous landmark? It is the Tokyo Sky Tree.  

Such admirable pieces can be created from hand blown glass!  When it is complete a piece can be vibrant and colorful, smooth and elegant, or simple, clean and colorless. 

Finished pieces will vary greatly in size, shape, and functionality. Glass art can take many forms, including glass blowing, glass casting, stained glass making, bead making, and, glass fusing. 

 You can see Yokohama through this rounded bottle.

The creator of all of the amazing pieces shown here is an artist by the name of Chambo.  He is a native of Tokyo and has spent years working to create fantastic pieces of glass artwork.  Take a look at more of his works at the right and below, made even more stunning by artful photography.



Left: Sakura (cherry blossom) in a pink opaque bottle with clear glass stopper.