伝統工芸士 但野英芳さん（４４歳）
日本の文化、伝統、工芸を世界に広める。
第一回は江戸切子です。
江戸切子とは、江戸末期に江戸（現在の東京）で始まったカットグラス工法のガラス工芸・細工です。１９８５年に東京都の伝統工芸品に認定され、その後、２００２年には、経済産業大臣指定伝統工芸品にも認定されました。
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そもそも但野さんが江戸切子の職人になろうと思われたきっかけは何ですか？
そんな折、父が江東区の江戸切子の賞を受賞したんです。父親は賞をもらうような仕事をしたいたんだ、ということをあらためて認識しました。その父の作品が展示している展覧会にいったときに、江戸切子の魅力に気がついたんです。そこには江戸切子の美しさもそうですが、自分でデザインをしたものを、自分の手で最後まで作り上げる、という、一人で完結させる職人の世界に魅了されたのかもしれません。そこで２年間のサラリーマン生活に見切りをつけて、２２歳の時に江戸切子の職人として父親に弟子入りしたのがきっかです。
プロの江戸切子職人になるにはどれくらいの経験が必要なのですか？
江戸切子の職人になるのに資格はいりません。経験だけがものをいう世界です。この世界で一流の職人になるのは一般的に１０年といわれています。もちろん、もっと早く素晴らしい作品をつくる人もいますし、１０年たっても２０年たっても、一向に成長しない人もいます。成長できない理由は、問屋さんとの契約による切子制作で仕事をすることにあります。問屋さんとの契約では、デザインは通常メーカーが決めて指定してきますので、その見本通りにつくらなければなりません。そこには自分たちのアイデアやデザインをさしはさむ余地はないのです。私も当初は、問屋さんと契約を結んで、賃加工での切子制作をしていました。しかし、この問屋との契約だけで仕事をしていたのでは、今の自分はなかったと思います。
お父様に弟子入りされた後、職人として成功するまでの経緯を教えてください。
父に技術を教えてもらおうと思い弟子入りしたのですが、職人修行中の２年後に父が他界しました。当時２４歳でした。そこでたちまち食べていけなくなってしまったのです。父の人脈でとってきた仕事も徐々になくなっていき、父が他界した２年後にはメインの問屋さんも倒産してしまいます。倒産前から仕事もなくなってきていたのですが、景気が良くなればまたメーカーから仕事が来るだろうと思っていました。しかしその頼みの綱のメインの問屋も倒産してしまったので、いよいよ追い詰められたのです。
その後は板ガラスの面取りとか、切子職人ではないような仕事もして、なんとか生計をたてていました。それでも工賃が安くて食べていけない。一時は廃業も考えました。
しかし、たまたま知人から百貨店の実演販売の話をもらったのです。自分のつくったものをそこで直接販売してみないか、ということでした。その当時はほかにやることもないので、とりあえずやってみることにしましたが、それが転機でした。
今は問屋さんからの仕事は受けていません。百貨店で自分がデザインしたものを直接販売する形にビジネスが変わりました。
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【English】
Edo Kiriko
Mr. Hideyoshi Tadano (age 44), METI-designated traditional craftsperson
Introduction Japanese culture, tradition, and crafts to the world
Vol. 1 – Edo Kiriko
Edo Kiriko is a glass craft in a form of glass cutting that founded in Edo (now called Tokyo) at the end of Edo period. It was designated as Traditional Crafts of Tokyo in 1985, and designated as Traditional Crafts by the Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry in 2002.
What is the opportunity by which you intended to become a craftsman of Edo Kiriko ?
My father was a craftsman of Edo Kiriko and in my childhood I used to see him producing Edo Kiriko in our home. However, when I was a child, I have little interested and awareness that our family business was producing traditional crafts. At that time, my father did not tell me to take over the family business. Since the income was not always stable, he seemed to think I should become a salaried employee. Because of such my father’s intention, neither I nor my old brother intended to become a craftsman. After learning design for architectures at school, I joined a construction company, where I worked for 2 years. I chose the company because I would like to do design work, but there were few chances that allow me to engage in design work there. I also had to do construction work within a client’s budget. There was a huge gap between a reality and my hope that I want to do the work on my creative design which I would like.
At that time, my father was awarded a prize of Edo Kiriko by Koto-ku. I recognized that he would like to do such a work that is worthy of an award.
I noticed attractiveness of Edo Kirko to see my father’s works at an exhibition. I was fascinated by the beauty of Edo Kriko products as well as a world of craftsman where one builds up what he/she designs by oneself to the end.
Thus, I put a period to my two year company days, and started to work as an apprentice of Edo Kiriko craftsman for my father at the age of 22.
How many years of experience is required to become a professional craftsman of Edo Kiriko ?
No credential is required to become a craftsman of Edo Kiriko. Experience counts in this world. It is said that it generally takes 10 years to become a first-class craftsman. Of course, some people create excellent Edo Kiriko earlier while some get no growth at all even after 10 or 20 years.
It is because a number of craftsman work for producing Kiriko based on an agreement with a wholesaler. Under the agreement with a wholesaler, a design is usually determined and specified by a manufacturer and a craftsman is required to produce in accordance with the sample. There is a no room to put one’s own idea or design.
At first, I used to work for producing Kiriko in a form of so-called piece-work under an agreement with a wholesaler. I designed and created my own works to submit to a competition held once a year out of such piece-work hours. However, I wouldn’t be what I am now by just working based on the agreement with a wholesaler.
Please tell us the story about how you succeeded as a craftsman after you became an apprentice for your father.
I started to work as an apprentice for my father with the intention to take over the family business, but two years after, he passed away. I was 24 years old and hardly scraped a living. The business obtained by my father’s personal connections eventually went away and 2 years after his death the wholesaler we mainly worked with went out of business. Although I had little business with the wholesaler before its bankruptcy, I expected the orders from them would come back when economic improved, but the wholesaler, my last hope went bankruptcy. I was driven into a corner. During that period, I managed to make a living by chamfering a flat glass, which is not a work of Edo Kiriko craftsman. Even though I did such a work, it was hard to get by each day. I think of going out of business.
However, one of my acquaintances introduced a job of demonstrate sale at a department store, which was an opportunity to sell my works directly to the consumers. I decided to do it because I did not have anything else to do at that time, and it was my turning point.
I do not receive an order from a wholesaler these days. My business has been changed, and I sell the products that I designed by myself in a department store directly.
但野硝子加工所 但野英芳
〒136-0072東京都江東区大島7-30-16TEL/FAX 03-5609-8486
〒136-0072東京都江東区大島7-30-16TEL/FAX 03-5609-8486