My name is Tomiyama and I work in the restaurant at ESTINATE HOTEL NAHA, a lifestyle hotel in Naha, Okinawa.
I have lived in Okinawa for 11 years, but I originally moved here from outside the prefecture, so when I find something new and “Okinawan,” I tend to travel far to see it.
Along the way, I came across a shop in Kitanakagusuku Village called Glass Studio Buntaro. It is about 30 minutes by car from ESTINATE HOTEL NAHA in downtown Naha. It is a Ryukyu glass shop that makes use of discarded glass.
I bought a single-flower vase to put at the hotel reception, but I would like to recommend this shop to anyone who wants to buy Ryukyu glass as a souvenir.
About Glass Studio Buntaro
<Glass Studio Buntaro>
[Address] 1022, Amanaya, Kitanakagusuku Village, Nakagami County, Okinawa 901-2316, Japan
[Business Hours] 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
[Regular closing day] Closed irregularly
[Website] https://buntaroh-okinawa.business.site
The owner, Bunta, said that he wants to play a role in connecting artisans and consumers through his shop. The shop also strives to communicate about glass and values customer interaction, rather than just selling products.
Bunta’s works are displayed in the shop.
Ryukyu glass is often bought as souvenirs, but because Bunta wants local people to use it in their daily lives, many of his works are made of transparent glass rather than the colored glass that is generally associated with Ryukyu glass.
Underneath the shelves are piles of waste bottles that are used as materials.
Many of the works on display use those discarded bottles, but Bunta conveys the idea of ”reclaiming the feelings of the glass” and believes in “glass with feelings” rather than the idea that they are just discarded materials to be used. It is a recycling method that involves remaking it into a different form and having it continue to be used.
A Single Flower Vase at the Front Desk
Many of the staff’s thoughtful creations are placed in ESTINATE HOTEL NAHA and Glass Studio Buntaro’s single-flower vase is one of them.
I felt a warm fuzzy feeling when I imagined that this single-flower vase would eventually be filled with many emotions and would be reborn as a new piece of glass.
When you check in at the front desk, I would be very happy if you recognize the significance of the vase.
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