Frames, lenses, repairs—all from Sabae.
Though glasses might look like a single product, they are actually made through a division of labor between many different entities.
There is usually a separate company that makes the frames, one that makes the lenses, one that cuts the lenses and fits them into the frames, and one that repairs them when they break. Because of this, it is not uncommon for retailers to be unable to answer accurately when asked, "Where were these glasses made?"
We have worked to consolidate this process as much as possible. To name the place: Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture.
Lenses are made in Sabae, and fitted in Sabae
Our lenses are produced by Katohachi Co., Ltd. in Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture.
Lenses are products that involve more steps than one might imagine: molding the resin, grinding it to the correct prescription, tinting, and applying coatings. There are common manufacturing methods where these processes are split up, with only some parts done domestically. Katohachi performs this entire sequence in their own domestic factory.
Therefore, all our lenses—whether prescription, tinted, photochromic, or polarized—are made in Sabae. This remains true regardless of the brand of the frame.
We also accept glasses purchased at other stores and sunglasses from other brands. No optical prescription is required; if you send us the glasses you are currently using, we can measure the prescription ourselves.
Repairs are also done in Sabae
Broken bridges, snapped rims, stuck screws, hinges that have come loose from acetate, or spring hinges that have lost their tension—all repairs are performed at our factory in Sabae.
We accept frames from other brands and items not purchased at our store. It is not rare for us to receive items that other shops have refused to repair. We provide transparent pricing and lead times for each service, including brazing, laser welding, re-plating, cloisonné work, celluloid polishing, and even repairs for tortoiseshell and solid gold.
We do not adjust our prices based on the brand. If the work is the same, the price is the same.
Frames depend on the brand
We will be honest here: not everything, including the frames, is made in Sabae.
TRAD is made in Japan. METRONOME is made in Japan. Resonance is made in China, and EINKLÄIR is designed in South Korea and produced in China.
Please allow one clarification: anything we label as "Made in Japan" is made in Sabae. As there are frames in the industry that are "Made in Japan" but produced outside of Sabae, we would appreciate it if you did not conflate the two.
We do not believe that making everything in Sabae is the only "correct" way, as each brand has different design origins and target price points. However, we do not want to be vague about where things are made, so we list the country of origin on each product page.
With that said, for TRAD and METRONOME, the frames, lenses, and repairs are all completed in Sabae.
Why we insist on the same location
The primary reason is that it allows us to perform repairs.
When the place of manufacture and the place of repair are the same, the person fixing the frame is someone who understands its construction, where the stress points are, and how it is likely to break. That factory possesses the necessary parts inventory and understands the nuances of the manufacturing process. This increases the number of times we don't have to say, "This cannot be repaired."
Glasses are not at their best on the day they are bought. You wear them, they warp, you adjust them, change the lenses, and adjust them again—they are meant to be used for a long time. It is better to have the place capable of handling that maintenance be nearby. That is the only reason.
About the place called Sabae
As many of you may know, Sabae is the heart of domestic glasses manufacturing.
From the 80s through the 90s, many of the world's top brands outsourced their metal processing to Sabae. That is why "Made in Japan" remains engraved on the inside of the temples of vintage frames from that era. Pure titanium processing, complex hinges, and cloisonné decorations were all being done here back then.
Those factories are still operating today. We aren't doing anything special. We are simply using the facilities that have always been there and continuing to do the necessary work, as a matter of course, year after year.
What we can do for you
・Online lens replacement / We also accept frames purchased at other stores. No optical prescription required. Single vision with prescription from ¥12,100 / Progressive from ¥22,000 / Non-prescription ¥13,200 / Photochromic ¥27,500 / Polarized ¥38,500 (Prices include tax; aspheric and super-hydrophobic coating are standard. Lenses are made in Sabae.)
・Eyeglass/sunglass repair / Bringing in products from other companies is also fine. We provide a public price list by service type.
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