For Ryuichi Kumakura, a 70-year-old cut glass artisan, finding young workers eager to learn and preserve the traditional Japanese craft is the least of his troubles -- showing them how to engrave exquisite pieces of glassware with precision is what matters most.Having a decent "business mind that evolves with the times" is vital also in the field of traditional crafts, said Kumakura, who began selling Edo Kiriko hand-cut glass directly to consumers about 30 years ago in a rare move back then for an industry that relied on a wholesale system while artisans themselves focused on production.Ed…READ FULL ARTICLE
