Sase Kōgyōsho
佐瀬工業所
Glass pens in Japan were first developed in 1902 by Sasaki Sadajirō. Sase Kōgyōsho was established in Tokyo in 1912 by a couple working under Sasaki Sadajirō. Originally made with glass tips and bamboo handles, in 1989, artisan pen maker and second-generation head of the workshop, Sase Isamu, invented a pen made entirely from glass. His unique design includes a handle with an elegantly twisted finish. The skill involved in creating eight even twists for each pen took six years to master, and resulted in the designation of this craft as an Intangible Cultural Property in Japan.