ABOUT

In 1992, I went to Portland, Oregon, USA to study abroad. While I was enrolled, I encountered Functional Glass Art (Glass Pipes). The Head Shop on my way to school, The Third Eye, always smelled of incense, which was very soothing. Portland had numerous shops with a strong hippie vibe, but glass pipes started appearing in these stores around 1995. The pipes from that time had very simple designs and were called Four Liner, Three Liner, Cameron glass, etc. The colors were also very simple, mostly just yellow or amber, and they were basic spoons.

By the late 1990s, the types of pipes increased, and various shapes such as onei, spoon, hummer, sherlock, bubbler, and water pipes emerged. Also, accessories for pipes, such as mushrooms, opals, and wigwag-design medallions, started being sold independently as pendants, and jars, pens, dread beads, and earrings also became common in stores. Artists' names began to be displayed along with their pipes, and gradually, pipes called Headies also increased in number. As glass pipes became more popular, specialized head shops began to appear, and I became increasingly fascinated by these pipes.

While I was in school, I traveled across America by car with my friend G, taking photos of state signs, except for six states. As we continued these trips, the two of us became enthusiastic about opening a head shop in Japan. The Hemperor and Jack Herer's shop, along with a sister store of The Third Eye, became our go-to references. In April 2001, in front of Jiyugaoka Station, we opened a head shop named XODAS (Exodus). Looking back from the opening until the store closed at the end of 2014, I feel that we influenced many Heads. After introducing heat-resistant glass art, mainly Functional Glass Art, to Japan for the first time, many glass artists were born, and seeing many Japanese artists now active around the world is truly moving.　

After XODAS closed, I took a break from the glass industry for a while, but since 2023, I have resumed producing glassware while running a glass workshop, and I continue to this day.　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Peace, Toshi