Tsubota Pearl

Established in 1952 by the late Hiroshi Tsubota and now run by his son Eiichi Tsubota, Tsubota Pearl produces luxe refillable lighters designed to be enjoyed for a lifetime. The family-owned company has always been driven by an unwavering commitment to craftsmanship, with all components made by artisans in specialised workshops in and around the Asakusa area of Tokyo. With the introduction of new technologies in the 1970s, many manufacturers began mass-producing lighters with moulded plastic fuel tanks inside zinc alloy die-cast cases, yet Tsubota Pearl continued to make flint lighters with metal fuel tanks, and remained committed to time-consuming traditional processes like machine-turning and pressing, conducted by hand, requiring high levels of skill and experience inherited from predecessors. There are a few members of Tsubota Pearl who have worked in lighter manufacturing for over 60 years, who are now passing on their skills to the next generation.