There are eyeglass frames that try to attract attention from a distance. At the same time, there are others that make you want to come closer: pick them up, look at the joints, the surfaces, the bridge, or simply see how titanium and acetate meet within a single construction.
Masunaga clearly belongs to the latter category.
The Japanese brand has been making eyewear in Fukui since 1905, in a region that would later become one of the most important centres of the Japanese eyewear industry. The story of Masunaga is therefore more than the story of a single brand: it is closely connected to the development of eyewear manufacturing in Fukui.
The brand is particularly interesting to us because, in many ways, Masunaga thinks about objects in much the same way we do at Tipton Eyeworks. A pair of glasses is not simply a fashion accessory: its character comes from the combination of material, construction, technology and craftsmanship.
That is why Masunaga first appeared as Zack’s personal selection in the Tipton showroom in Budapest, and we have now decided to expand our Masunaga selection even further.
Fukui, 1905
Masunaga was founded by Gozaemon Masunaga in 1905. The goal was not simply to establish another eyewear factory: they wanted to turn eyewear production into a local industry in Fukui. Experienced craftsmen were invited from other regions to pass their knowledge on to local artisans.
In the long term, this approach had an impact that went far beyond the success of a single brand. Today, Fukui is known around the world for Japanese eyewear manufacturing, and more than a century later, Masunaga remains one of the best-known representatives of this manufacturing culture.
Tradition here, however, does not mean that everything is made in the same way it was a hundred years ago. Quite the opposite: what makes Masunaga interesting is the way it combines craftsmanship with modern manufacturing technology and contemporary forms.
The difference is often only visible up close
Masunaga is not about large logos or conspicuous branding. The shapes often begin with classic foundations, but the proportions, use of materials and small construction details feel distinctly contemporary.
The frames feature titanium, beta titanium, Japanese acetate and various combinations of materials. One of Masunaga’s defining characteristics is that a significant part of the manufacturing process is kept within its own system, from component production and machining to the final surface finishing.
Making a single frame can require more than 200 separate production stages, many of which are still carried out by hand.
This is the kind of quality that is difficult to convey in a product photo. The polishing, a thin titanium temple, a small engraving, or the way two different materials meet often only becomes truly understandable when you hold the frame in your hands.
It is worth seeing and trying on Masunaga frames in person.
Not retro. Not futuristic. Rather, timeless.
There are many historical references in Masunaga’s design language, yet the frames are not simply reissues of old eyewear.
A good example is the GMS line, whose historical roots go back to the 1930s. Today’s models combine classic proportions with modern materials and extremely precise construction.
On the other side of the collection are thin, almost graphic metal frames, combinations of acetate and titanium, and more distinctive geometric shapes.
That is what makes them particularly interesting to see together: there is no single “Masunaga shape.” Instead, the different frames are connected by a shared approach to design.
In the Tipton Masunaga selection, this is exactly what we want to show: not one iconic model, but the different sides of the brand.
When Masunaga met Kenzo Takada
One of the most interesting chapters in the brand’s history is connected to Kenzo Takada.
The story began in Paris in 2011, when Kenzo came across a pair of Masunaga glasses in an optical store. The encounter later developed into a joint project, and in 2014 the MASUNAGA designed by Kenzo Takada collaboration was launched.
Here, Masunaga’s Japanese manufacturing culture met Kenzo’s visual world shaped by fashion, art and interior design. Vintage references, engraved details, stronger contrasts, and the meeting of Eastern and Western aesthetics appeared in the frames.
The project did not end with Kenzo Takada’s death in 2020. The K3 team he founded continued the work, and the collaboration lives on under the name MASUNAGA | K3.
Why is Masunaga on the Tipton wall?
Alongside our own Tipton Eyeworks frames, Masunaga plays a slightly different role for us.
We do not design these frames, and we do not manufacture them in Budapest. We brought them here because we are inspired by the commitment with which they approach materials, manufacturing and the finest details.
The frames originally appeared on the showroom wall as Zack’s personal selection. Now we are significantly expanding that selection.
Our goal is not simply to put as many frames on the wall as possible. We want people to be able to see and try on the different sides of Masunaga next to one another: from lightweight titanium frames and the more classic GMS line to acetate–metal combinations and more distinctive pieces.
You can see our current Masunaga collection here, and we are continuously expanding the selection with new models and colour variations.
A Masunaga is worth trying on
Choosing eyewear based solely on a photograph is difficult anyway. With Masunaga, this is particularly true.
A frame can be a beautiful object on the table, but in the end, what matters is what happens when you put it on: where the bridge sits, how it follows the line of your eyebrows, how wide it is on your face, where the pupils are positioned, and how the frame changes the character of the entire face.
That is why you can freely try on Masunaga frames at the Tipton Eyeworks showroom in Budapest. You do not need an appointment to try on frames: you can take them off the wall, compare different shapes, and we will help you find the one that truly fits you.
If you also need a new prescription, you can combine choosing your frame with a ZEISS technology eye examination.
The Masunaga wall keeps growing
Masunaga has been making eyewear for more than 120 years. We discovered the brand much later, but it came to Tipton for exactly the same reason we ourselves love making eyewear: because in a well-designed frame, technology and craftsmanship eventually blend together completely and a special object is created.
Now we want to show more of this world in Budapest.
Discover the Masunaga collection at Tipton →
Or come to our showroom at 6 Erkel Street, try on the frames and take a closer look at them in person.
And the selection continues to grow – new Masunaga frames are arriving at Tipton.
