Masunaga

Masunaga: Eyewear made in Fukui, the beating heart of Japanese eyewear craftsmanship.

Fukui, a city in Japan, ranks among the world’s three largest production hubs for optical frames, alongside China and Italy. An impressive 97% of all eyewear manufactured in Japan originates in Fukui. This rich tradition began in 1905, when Gozaemon Masunaga founded Masunaga Optical. He held a clear vision: to establish a thriving optical industry in Fukui. To achieve this, he brought skilled artisans from Osaka and Tokyo to the region to lay a solid foundation.
The beginnings, however, were difficult. In the early years, eyewear from Fukui had an international reputation for being of inferior quality. Masunaga changed this by establishing a guild-like system. Master craftsmen were given the opportunity to start their own businesses; as a result, the quality of the eyewear steadily improved, and the craft spread throughout the region.

What makes Masunaga Optical unique today is its fully integrated production process—a rarity in the eyewear industry. While many manufacturers rely on external suppliers, Masunaga carries out all of the more than 200 manual production steps in-house, from raw material to final finish. This not only ensures exceptional quality control but also allows for immediate adjustments; for instance, if a frame presents comfort issues, the mold design can be modified right away.

At the heart of Masunaga’s legacy lies an unwavering commitment to quality. The original mission statement, unchanged for over a century, reads:
“We aim to manufacture the best eyewear. And yes, we would like to make a profit if possible, but we do not shy away from taking a loss at times. Our guiding principle is always: we create excellent eyewear and will never compromise on quality!”
This philosophy lives on in every frame Masunaga produces—crafted with passion, precision, and respect for craftsmanship.