The 3 Shibori Masters of Arimatsu, Japan
Exploring Indigo Shibori in Japan
Earlier this year I had the privilege of visiting Japan for the first time, and thanks to Yoshiko Wada - founder of the World Shibori Network - I was able to meet with 3 globally acclaimed Japanese shibori masters.
Read on to learn more about these creative and interesting people!
A brief history of Arimatsu…
Arimatsu is a district of Nagoya, a large city between Tokyo and Kyoto. It is one of the best places to visit if you want to see shibori in Japan!
The shibori style that developed in Nagoya is the distinctive indigo-blue-on-cotton variety, which is what most people think of and recognise as shibori in the UK. In Kyoto the style was more lavish and with silks -for the very wealthy- whereas the Arimatsu style is rooted more in folk craft.
Shibori came about as a consequence of the creativity of a group of migrant workers - who came from what is now Kyushu- combined with the investments of a merchant who established a cotton industry in that area. A road called the Tokaido runs through Arimastu, travellers along this route purchased shibori textiles and so the industry grew. And with it grew the artisans! Many of these people I write about next have a long familial heritage connected to shibori. Dye runs in their blood!
Kaei Hayakawa - The Last Master of Arashi Shibori
Hayakawa-San is thoughtful, determined, precise and focused.
What else would one expect of someone who has dedicated years to up keeping the practise ‘Arashi shibori’?
Formerly a sculptor his work previously explored creating shibori out of unconventional materials such as concrete and glass, these can be found dotted around Arimatsu. His sole focus now is now Arashi shibori.
I had a go at wrapping some arashi on his custom-built mechanised arashi pole, it was challenging even for me who has spent many hours making arashi in my studio!
He uses sukumo indigo vats to give the beautiful, complex blues.
Kuno Shibori Factory
The Kuno family has done some serious shibori wizardry for design legends such as Issey Miyake, and costumes for the circus antics of Cirque du Soilel.
They use modern colout pallettes that are knocked back, warm and earthy yet feel very fresh. They also use synthetic fibers and fabrics - these are useful for techniques which allow you to set a texture into a fabric forever.
Kuno proves that it is possible to produce commerically viable textiles using shibori, and their innovation with fibers is really impressive.
Whilst I really respect and admire their artistry and imagination, in the UK there is a growing demand for change within the textiles industry, and I question how viable the use of synethic fabrics and fibers is when we need to be thinking about regenerative systems of production.
The Murase Family
The Murase family have been working in Arimatsu with shibori for over 100 years. There is a lot of knowledge and history held between these generations!
This family are particularly interesting because they produce both traditional shibori textiles for kimono and modern shibori adaptations on Western styled garments. Their modern brand called Suzusan is responding to changes in lifestyles and tastes in Japan as the West has extended its influence.
The Suzusan brand has a loose and minimalistic vibe, a stark contrast to some of the traditional shibori of kimono past. However the essential roots of this practise are clearly still present - there is an elegance and refinement to them, a level of finesse and control that is often not present in Western ‘tie dye’ garments. This sets them apart.
In this picture here you can see Murase-san with some of his templates used for creating the traditional kimono, we were so lucky to take a sneak peek into his design process and see his sketchbooks and drawings. I always love being able to go ‘under the hood’! What a treat.
With thanks to…
This was a grant-funded research trip, so I want to give my thanks to the Daiwa Foundation, Great British Saskawa Foundation and the World Shibori Network for their support.