The kimono, with its long history and tradition, expresses a beauty that is unique to Japan. Clothing the body layer by layer is a practice that dates back to ancient times and, today, the kimono holds a special place in the collective heart of the Japanese people. However, most people in Japan no longer wear kimono in daily life. Nowadays, it is worn only on special occasions, such as the New Year holidays, and at graduation and coming-of-age ceremonies. In Kyoto, however, the locally made Nishijin brocade and the Yuzen dyeing process are still very much a part of people’s daily lives. All over the city, even at Kyoto Station, the gateway to the city, people can be seen wearing kimono. So much so, in fact, that the sight has become a feature of Kyoto.
Nishijin brocade dates back to the middle of the Heian era. At that time, the textiles office, which managed the procurement of textiles for the Imperial Court, moved to Otonericho, where it launched its own business. The textiles on sale soon attracted a following that was maintained throughout the Kamakura and Muromachi eras. Following the great fire of Kyoto during the Onin War in the Muromachi era, the scattered Nishijin manufacturers regrouped in the Omiya area (used by the nishi [ west ] armed forces as their honjin [ headquarters ] and formed a footman association in an attempt to revive the industry. The name "Nishijin" was born and, before long, the textiles produced in this area came to be called "Nishijin brocade ".
Under the protection of the Shogunate, Nishijin continued to develop until the advent of the Edo era, when it lost much of its glory due to the increase in use of cotton textiles and the shift of the capital to Tokyo. However, the Kyoto district has managed to win back its fame as a centre of production for traditional Japanese silk brocade through the introduction of state-of-the-art techniques and the development of new designs.
In the Yuzen dyeing process, each craftsman is designated a single task in the creation of this beautiful dye. The process originated with a kimono dyeing technique that was created during the Genroku era some 300 years ago by fan illustrator Yuzensai Miyazaki, whose technique was, in turn, developed from the "Tea House Dye" technique, a monochrome style that uses colour from the indigo plant. Miyazaki's dyeing process was favourably received and became very popular nationwide. Following his death, the Edo government imposed a ban on luxuries, forbidding gold organza, embroidery and dappled designs. In light of this, the Yuzen dyeing process was established, creating a brand of beautiful dyed goods that did not conflict with the government ban and were particularly appealing to women. During the Meiji era, the "Pattern Yuzen" technique was developed by Jisuke Hirose, using a chemical dye. In contrast to the original Yuzen technique, Pattern Yuzen requires the use of up to 100 paper patterns in order to create a design of both beauty and originality.
Today, Pagong , a shop in Saiin’s Ukyo-ku, sells aloha shirts dyed using a traditional Yuzen process known as tenare dyeing. Pagong is a satellite store of a long-established Kyoto Yuzen dyer devoted to reviving the popularity of the Yuzen dyeing process. Through these Yuzen aloha shirts, which use up to 6,000 original patterns, the company continues one of Japan’s most esthetically pleasing traditions.
Even though Nishijin brocade and the Yuzen dyeing process have been recreated in modern forms, their unique elegance and beauty remain, fitting naturally into the environs of Kyoto. They have retained their quality and, with a long tradition behind them, will be inherited by future generations.
Reference:
The Present of Kyoto Items, Nozomi, Inc., 2004
PAGONG
Main shop Tel: 075-322-2391
Nishi Mizozakicho 17, Saiin, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto
11:00 to 18:00
Gion shop Tel:075-541-3155
373 Kiyomotocho, Yasaka Shinchi, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
1 :00pm to 9 :00pm (until 7 :30pm from December to February)
Closed on Wednesdays
