Hisako Tokuda, 68, has been working with “bekko,” a rare tortoiseshell obtained mainly from the protected hawksbill sea turtle, which makes ethically sourcing it a challenge. Balancing her love for the craft with its difficult nature for over a decade, Tokuda has become a successful artisan in her retirement.
1. What first interested you about working with bekko? When I was 40 and exhausted from raising three children, I tried on a bekko necklace at a department store and it brought me back to life. Later, when I was 48, I found a craftsman who made eyeglass frames out of bekko near my place, so I decided to go there to learn about it.
2. Did you have experience with craftsmanship before that? After studying metalwork in Kyushu at a junior college as part of the crafts course of the design department, I went on to work at a metal art studio. Some time later, I moved to Tokyo and studied metal art for six months while holding a job, but I had to stop for financial reasons.
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