Edo Bekko [ Tortoiseshell Products ]
Tanaka Atsunori
Mr. Atsunori Tanaka of Edo Bekko Tanaka is a Japanese Bekko (Traditional Tortoiseshell Products) craftsman. Bekko is a traditional craftwork made from shell or nail of a kind of sea turtle called Hawksbill turtle, which is a blackish brown mottled semi-transparent that use as the material to create ornaments and accessories.
Mr. Tanaka is the third generation, his father was creating accessories, but Mr. Tanaka is specializing in the bekko eyeglasses frame.
Getting the tortoise shell, the material, was a major issue, but as a result of acting toward the realization of the sea turtle domestic raising business for many years, in April 2017, members of five unions such as Tokyo, Nagasaki, etc., the raising business company is established in the Ishigaki island.
The good point of bekko eyeglasses is hard to get rushed, and it is easy to wear. Since the corners is being rounded off with the heat of human skin, it gets fit to your skin as much as you use it. It is also a merit that if you do maintenance it well, you can use it for a lifetime. The son can bring the bekko eyeglasses of his father, and change the design to fit into the present style design.
In the past, the design with a strong sense, with thick frame, and the bekko part of the frame is over the entire part around the lens of the eyeglasses, was popular. But in nowadays, a slim frame, and the bekko part is used only in some part of the frame, is the popular design. The sale is being done by wholesaler company, and you can find the products at eyeglasses selling area of department stores, shopping malls, or at eyeglasses specialty shops.
Here in Edo Bekko Tanaka, there are also experience workshop for making simple accessories that you can join. The cost is start from \3000 (for student is \2000), and take about 2 hours. But, since you are not allowed to take out the work you made outside Japan, it is only available for residents in Japan.