Hagiwara
This is the approved revision of this page, as well as being the most recent.
| Hagiwara Hagiwara | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Hagiwara |
| Model | Hagiwara |
| Gauge | |
| Type | Manual Flatbed |
| Patterning | |
| Needles | |
| Release Year | 1923 |
| Accessories | |
| Also Known As | |
Hagiwara (originally established in 1923 by Masa Hagiwara in Japan) was one of the earliest pioneering manufacturers of domestic home knitting machines in Japan.[1]
History[edit]
- Origins: In 1923, Masa Hagiwara, director of the Hagiwara Knitting Arts and Technology School, designed the Hagiwara-shiki Keiben Bunka Teami-ki (萩原式軽便文化手編器 / Hagiwara-style Portable Culture Hand Knitter). This pin-based device was one of Japan's first commercially successful home knitting machines.[2]
- Post-War Production: In the 1950s and 1960s, the company transitioned to manufacturing metal-bed manual knitting machines. Their carriages and beds were often branded under different model names, most notably the Hikarigo.
- Legacy & Exhibitions: While the company did not survive the transition to automatic punchcard and electronic machines dominated by Brother and Silver Reed in the 1970s, Hagiwara is historically significant for establishing the home knitting machine market in Japan. Its machines were featured in the 2023 *100 Years of Home Knitting Machines* exhibition at the Setagaya Development Center in Tokyo.[3]