Sabae: Eye on Design

Sabae City, located on the Sea of Japan in central Fukui Prefecture, has a population of about 70,000. Sabae is renowned as a center for craftsmanship since olden times. It produces 90 percent of all eyewear frames sold in Japan and produces more than 80 percent of lacquerware used in restaurants across the country. The textile industry is another leading engine of Fukui business. In terms of eyeglasses, our traveler Cyril Coppini learns about its local history and tries his hand at frame-making. In the arena of lacquer, he visits a master artisan at his workshop for an in-depth look at how it's made. As for textiles, Cyril meets a woman who is preserving, and passing on, the skills for weaving a traditional fabric called, Ishidajima. Cyril also gets to know young people who have relocated to Sabae to pursue their craft.