Hakodate's western district exudes an exotic atmosphere. Many colonial-style buildings constructed during the Meiji and Taisho periods can be seen, and the cobblestone streets create a wonderful ambiance.

Of course, it's great to enjoy a leisurely stroll while admiring the scenery, but how about making a souvenir to remember your trip by?

Located halfway up Motomachi Hill overlooking Hakodate Bay, "Motomachi Glass Studio" is a shop where you can create your own glass products. I visited the shop and tried making a product myself, so I'll share my experience.

<Table of Contents>
1. Go to Motomachi Glass Studio
2. Experience glassblowing
3. Complete!
4. The finished product is...
Final thoughts

Motomachi Glass Studio is located down Motomachi Hill from Motomachi Park, across the pedestrian crossing. It's easily accessible, with the Motomachi Tourist Parking Lot across the street and close to the Suehirocho tram stop. There are also souvenir shops and cafes nearby.

The building itself was constructed during the Meiji era, and its unique blend of Western and Japanese architectural styles—Western on the second floor and Japanese on the first—makes it easy to spot. Look for the green roof and dark brown walls. Now, let's go inside the shop.

The shop is packed with glass products.

There used to be a glass workshop in Onuma, Nanae Town, near Hakodate City, and the owner of this shop apparently learned glassmaking techniques there. The colorful glass pieces are all beautiful and resemble the exotic scenery of Hakodate.

In addition to glassmaking workshops, they also sell glass products, so if you find something you like, you can buy it.

Stained glass adorns the windows. The basement of the Motomachi Glass Studio houses "Ikuta Stained Glass," where you can experience making stained glass. If you're interested in stained glass, be sure to check it out.

Glassmaking workshops are available by reservation, so we recommend making a reservation before visiting.

Don't worry if you haven't decided on your experience menu yet. You can choose on the spot when you arrive. Sample finished products are also on display, so it's easy to get an idea of ​​what the final product will look like.

There are four courses, A through D, and the easiest is course D, where you make chopstick rests. This time, I chose course B, where you make earrings.

Please refer to this page for course details.http://motomachi.art.coocan.jp/

Making earrings begins with choosing the parts. Select seven parts and arrange them to form the base of the earrings.

Those are the parts inside the case. There are so many colors and patterns to choose from, it's hard to decide which one to pick!

You can choose seven items with the same pattern and color, or you could try making something colorful – that would be lovely too!

The parts are very small and delicate, so I use tweezers to take them out of the case. I also use tweezers to arrange them.

This is delicate work, so handle the parts with care! It's quite engaging, and I often lose track of time.

I chose blue parts from among the cute ones. Don't you think the refreshing blue is lovely and perfect for summer?

The center of each piece has a cute white bird pattern. This bird pattern has a top and bottom, so make sure to arrange them so that the bird's head is facing upwards.

Once finished, place the parts on a clear glass plate. That's it! The finished product is then heated to melt the glass and turn it into earrings.

The heating temperature reaches as high as 900 degrees Celsius. The staff at the shop handles the heating process, so all you have to do is wait for it to be ready.

Even though I have a general idea of ​​what I want, I'm still a little nervous and excited to see how it will turn out. Since there's a cooling process after heating, it won't be ready until the next day.

You can pick up the finished product at the store, or they'll ship it to you, so you can choose the method that suits your schedule.

This time, I went to the store to pick it up the next day. It came with a glass flower. Now, let's open it.

Here's the finished product. Don't you think these earrings are perfect for summer and have a refreshing feel? The plump, round shape is also really cute.

When I tried it on right away, the size was just right. Since it's a glass product I made myself, I feel a special attachment to it.

When you think of glass products, glasses are the first thing that comes to mind, but earrings are also a great option.

This was a report on the glassmaking experience at "Motomachi Glass Studio." It only took about 30 minutes, so it's a great activity to try in between sightseeing.

The location is in the western district, and it's within walking distance of the bay area. Why not enjoy it as part of your Hakodate memories?

<Motomachi Glass Studio>
Address: 1-33 Omachi, Hakodate City, Hokkaido 040-0052
TEL：0138-27-8836
Opening hours: 9:00 AM - 17:00 PM (Experiences available until 16:00 PM)
Closed on the third Thursday of each month (may be open depending on reservation status)
Experience fee: Varies depending on the experience course.
Official website:http://motomachi.art.coocan.jp/

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