Masunaga
Timeless Craft & Art at 120!
Soutaro Masunaga, fourth-generation heir and CEO of the legendary brand, sees their 120th anniversary as a rare opportunity for self-reflection and learning from the past.
When a brand not only spans decades but endures for more than a century, it stands as a powerful testament to extraordinary resilience, an unwavering commitment to quality, and a clear, design-driven vision. Masunaga, widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Japanese eyewear craftsmanship, celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. To mark this milestone, Soutaro Masunaga, Ceo and fourth-generation member of the founding family, shares his reflections on the brand’s humble beginnings in Fukui, the visionary philosophy of his great-grandfather Gozaemon Masunaga, and the delicate balance between tradition and technical innovation. He also offers an exclusive look at the anniversary highlights, including the limited ‘Edition 120’ models and the second release of the Moc series, a line that distills masterful design and top-tier craftsmanship into its every detail. We are pleased to present this insightful conversation on what it truly takes to shape a brand with timeless character.
Hello Yasunori, Masunaga is celebrating its 120 years this year. Could you give us a brief insight into the beginnings and early development of the brand?
Sure. The company founder Gozaemon Masunaga brought in skilled craftsmen from Osaka and Tokyo with the ambition of setting the optical industry solidly in place in Fukui, Japan. That wasn’t easy. He entered into the industry the hard way, and at first the frames manufactured in Fukui were regarded as third-rate, or even unsellable. He established a guild-like system where fully-fledged craftsmen could create their own businesses, and he even helped them financially. Thanks to this system, the number of eyeglass craftsmen gradually increased, and the optical industry spread throughout Fukui.
Which milestones in Masunaga’s company history are particularly significant for you personally?
There are many historical events I could point to in our company’s history, but personally, winning the Silmo d’Or three years in a row – 2013, 2014, and 2015 – was the biggest milestone. That helped boost brand recognition, especially in European markets.
Today, Masunaga is synonymous with quality around the world. What makes your brand so unique?
We produce and sell our own brand. As a manufacturer – especially in Fukui – most optical companies today are responsible for just one part or process, and one pair of eyeglasses is completed cooperatively by many companies. In contrast, Masunaga manages all of the production processes: designing, material research, metal processing, and coloring, all in our own factory. This total dedication ensures consistency, quality, and performance. We are certainly a Japanese brand, but we don’t particularly emphasize the “Made in Japan” aspect. We almost want our products to be stateless – not to fall into a specific category. We want our customers to love our products because they are designed and made by Masunaga. We want them to see Masunaga as timeless – but that kind of timelessness takes years to build. When you say your brand is timeless, you must truly mean it. You can’t just say it.
How do you manage to maintain a balance between tradition and modern innovation?
We manufacture excellent eyeglasses. We want to make a profit if we can, but we don’t hesitate to take a loss. It is always in our thoughts to manufacture excellent eyeglasses. This mission statement serves as our code of conduct and helps maintain the balance between tradition and modern innovation – because both are essential to creating excellent eyewear.
To what extent do current design trends and technological developments influence the new collections?
It may sound strange but we want the quality of our frames to be the coolest part of what we do. We want our customers to go, “Wow, this is really beautiful.” I don’t think we are a trend setter or a follower, but I hope our customers think we have our own style.
You are celebrating an anniversary that spans over a century. Could you tell us about the initiatives have done to honor this special year?
We launched a special website celebrating our 120th anniversary. There is special content focusing on the evolution of Masunaga frames. You see our historical frames there. Also we’ll introduce 120th anniversary special edition frames Edition 120. Two models are fashioned from our proprietary technology of joining the 18K gold and titanium.
You have also launched a second edition of the Moc series. Could you tell us about the collection’s features and the innovations in the second edition?
Moc is an abbreviation for “Masters Of Craft”. We launched the line at Silmo 2024, and the first collection was well-received by our customers. We wanted to create a first-class eyewear collection that represents the epitome of craftsmanship. This is a limited quantity release and exclusively available at 100 stores worldwide. Each frame has its own serial number. We want Masunaga Moc to be very nearly the best eyewear collection we can create. Masunaga Moc features 5 micron gold plated parts, sterlin silver decorations, double shield pads, 3.5mm wide custom rim with three lines details, hand applied enamel work, and so on. It’s a masterpiece that combines design and technical skills. Masunaga Moc 2nd collection will be optical only, in contrast to 1st collection being sunglasses only. There are some new design elements as well.
After 120 years of success, where is Masunaga headed in the future? What visions and goals will we see come true next?
Of course, the 120th anniversary is something to celebrate – but we also see it as just another milestone. Our 120th anniversary logo shows the number 120 turning into 121, and that says it all. It’s a great opportunity to reflect on ourselves and learn from our past. I certainly hope our brand and our products will remain relevant and desired for the next decade – and beyond. Our story continues.
Source: Spectr
December 2025