Bashofu and the centenarians of Okinawa 芭蕉布と長寿の村

When you speak of Okinawan Textiles, the most famous technique is probably bingata stencil dyeing (which I recently posted about) and I would guess that a close second goes to basho-fu, a kind of hand-woven fabric from the Japanese banana fibre plant.
沖縄の染織と言えば、一番知られているのは今間も書き込んだ「紅型」のだろう。その次はもしかしたら糸芭蕉からできてい手織りの「芭蕉布」のではないか？

beautiful bashofu with it's distinctive beige colour and intricate dyed thread patterns

"From the what!?", I hear you say? Yes, a mostly female group of workers farm basho fibrous banana trees, hand process the fibre into thread and dye and weave it into a wonderfully light but strong beige fabric called basho-fu. The small village of Kijoka in Ogimi, Okinawa, is most well known for basho-fu production thanks to efforts to maintain and revive basho-fu production by Taira Toshiko, a nonagenarian designated as a so called "living cultural treasure"in the year 2000.
糸芭蕉って？！と思っている人もいらっしゃらないか？そう！バナナのような木を栽培して、手で糸に加工してから染めて、麻のような手触りがある布に織るは「芭蕉布」というものだね。沖縄の大宜味村にある喜如嘉が芭蕉布を作っている町として有名のだ。それは、2000年に人間国宝に認定された平良敏子さん（現在93歳）が芭蕉布の技を守る努力に大きく影響されたのだ。

ito-basho or fibrous banana plants being cultivated in Ogimi. They are grown until the trunks are about 1-1.5 metres tall. 大宜味の芭蕉布会館前の糸芭蕉。

As you drive into the Ogimi area, the signage boasts not only of Ogimi's basho-fu production but also that it is a region famous for shikwasa citrus, for bunagaya fairytale creatures (see here) AND of long life. Indeed, the numbers of centenarians living in Ogimi means it's population is touted as having the greatest longevity in Japan! These older members of the community attribute their good health to exercising and farmwork, to their positive attitude towards life and to staying involved in the community. One such community that elderly women remain active in is the group work environment required for basho-fu production.
大宜味村の地域に入ると、大きな看板に大宜味村の名物が書いてある。それは、芭蕉布だけではなく、シークヮーサーも、ぶながやも、長寿も書いているのね。沖縄での平均寿命が海外の研究者の間でもよく勉強されている。大宜味村は特に平均年齢が高いらしいです。大宜味の老人たちは畑で仕事したり、クラブなどに参加したり、自分の食べ物を作ったりしている元気な人々です！おばあさんたちがコミュニティーに活躍している場の一つは、皆で協力しながら作る芭蕉布の畑や工房ですね。

I think it should also be noted that the eldery population in Ogimi has a healthy sense of humour too. These daikon radish people were on display at the local produce centre. 大宜味村の人もユーモアの感覚も元気に生きている。大宜味産の物を売っている道の駅にこの赤土大根人間も見かけた。

Check out this nice video about Okinawan longevity made by some foreign students in Japan. I especially like the old lady singing at the very end. Too cute!　この留学生に作られたビデオは大宜味の「おばぁ」と「おじぃ」の生活を紹介している。最後に歌っているおばぁがすごくかわいい！

Link to youtube: The Longest Lived Village in Japan

Last month I visited the so called "Ogimi Village Basho-fu Hall" which is a working facility where basho-fu is made by hand. They have a display of basho-fu examples and equipment on the first floor with an informative video running and you can go upstairs to see the women working away on looms, on low tables, sorting threads, stretching cloth and whatever processes they happen to be working on that day. 　
先月大宜味にある「芭蕉布会館」へ行きました。一階には、芭蕉布の歴史や工程を説明する展示とビデオがあって、二階へ上がると実際に作っている作業が見学できます。その日はいくつかの工程が見えました。

plaque outside the Bashofu Hall, tells of how bashofu knowledge was something passed from mother to daughter.

The process of turning banana plants into fabric fit for wearing is long and involved and you'd be forgiven for wondering how anyone has such patience to pour that amount of effort into one roll of fabric. But see the final product in real life and you can appreciate that the group effort involved in its making results in something hand-crafted and wonderful that is unique in the world.
糸芭蕉を布にするのが信じられない手間がかかる工程です。どうして一反の生地をそんな時間を入れるだろうと思ってしまいそうですが、実物をみると、共同の努力で作られた、いわゆる大人数の手で作られた物であるこそ独特で美しい生地とすぐに分かります。

According to a brochure I bought at the Basho-fu hall, the process goes something like this:
-Farming the fibrous basho plants and then harevsting at approximately three years when the trunks are over 1 metre long.
-U-hagi Stripping the concentric layers of pale fibrous material from the felled trunks and classing into 4 ranks based on softness.
-U-daki Boiling fibres in lye to soften them
-U-biki Dividing the strips into finer fibres by running a bamboo scraper down the length of the fibre. These fibres are sorted according to softness and colour.
-Once dried, fibres are wound into fist-sized balls called chingu to assist in the next step.
工程を下手な日本語で説明するより、もう丁寧に書いてあるサイトを見た方がいいと思います！この二つは分かりやすいと思います：こもれび工房　＆ 芭蕉布事業協同組合

On the left a small bunch of these softened fibre strips. These will split into even finer strands to form the thread. On right a swatch of the fibre as it first comes off the stalk. 手に持っているのは、「うびき」の工程が終わったもの。これから、また細かく分けて、糸にする。右は木から剥がしたままの素材。

-Which is, U-umi or forming the thread. The chingu balls are soaked in water, and split into even finer threads with a knife then the individual lengths (remember the tree trunk is only around a metre long, so the fibres are too) of fibre are knotted together end to end with TINY knots to form skeins of basho yarn.

Did I mention the knots are TINY?! see that little knot on my fingertip? This is the most time consuming and skilled step of the production. Tension will be placed on the threads when on the loom so the knots must be strong but not form large bumps in the fabric surface. 小っちゃいと言ったよね！？指先に見える結びは一番手間がかかる工程らしい。織るときは糸が張力も必要から、結んだ所が強かないといけないし、できている布に目立たないように小さく結ばないといけない…

-The yarn is lightly spun to prevent fraying when it gets woven
-After measuring off the lengths of warp and weft required for the fabric to be woven, this is softened in lye again.
-The distinctive patterns in the fabric are dyed at this point by tying resists on the threads and dyeing in hawthorn (for a terracotta colour) or Ryukyu Indigo.

LIving National Treasure Toshiko Taira dyeing threads that have been selectively tied with tight resists also made of basho.
人間国宝の平良敏子が糸を染めている。白い部分は染料が入らないところですね。イメージは 芭蕉布事業協同組合　からです。

Threads before the resists have been removed. the tightly wrapped white sections will be unwrapped to reveal the pale natural colour of the basho fibre.
平良敏子。イメージは 芭蕉布事業協同組合　からです。

-The threads can now be setup on a loom, ensuring dyed patterns stay in alignment and threads kept supple with moisture.
-The fabric can finally be woven. Because of the fragility of the threads, rainy season is best and it can take one weaver roughly 3-5 weeks to weave one bolt of fabric for kimono (!!!)
-The woven fabric is again boiled and soaked, pressed under a weight, stretched by hand to it's correct width, and correct length by a tug of war type effort by two workers.
-The surface of the fabric is polished with the rim of a ceramic cup and the process of stretching is repeated.
-After final ironing and checking for faullts, the bashofu cloth is finally finished.

We saw this step in progress when we visited the Bashofu Hall. Workers at each end of the fabric give the fabric a few strong pulls to bring it back to it's correct length..

PHEW! what a process.

I admire the strength of purpose of 94 year old Taira Toshiko who I mentioned above. She has really dedicated her life to making sure that basho-fu is kept alive and carried on for future generations. You can see her big personality in this Japanese news feature:
もう94歳である意志の強い平良敏さんがすごいと思います。将来の世代でも芭蕉布が楽しめるように活躍しているのは素晴らしいですね。

Link to Toshiko Taira Interview (in Japanese) Toshiko Taira

To finish let me share this quote from Toshiko Taira that was on display at the Bashofu Hall.

...bashofu-making is a priceless tradition and skill that our mothers and grandmothers and ancestors have safeguarded and passed down here in our homeland through many centuries. If we break this chain, bashofu will cease to exist. The thought of what a betrayal that would be has kept my colleagues and I going, despite many challenges.
 While in recent years our work has begun to be recognized around the world, the future is still far from assured. Our members at Kijoka are aging.  In particular we have fewer people able to perform the u-umi task of joining basho fibres to make thread, so that even securing a high-quality supply of this most essential material is becoming difficult.
...My goal is to have as many people as possible come to know this local heritage and see its value and understand, too, what we here at Kijoka are trying to accomplish. If more would step forward to join in the effort bashofu will live on for generations to come. That is our dearest wish.  Toshiko Taira, March 2013 

Maida Yuzen Studio Visit - Kanazawa 加賀友禅を接する

After telling anyone that wanted to listen that I was dying to visit Kanzawa, (dyeing to?!? hahaha) I finally made it there last week. I was especially interested since learning that Kanazawa is home to a particular style of yuzen dyeing called Kaga Yuzen. (Kaga is the historic name of the region) From what I saw in books, I felt the Kaga style had some parallels to my own work so I really wanted to go and see it in real life.
長ーい間、金沢に行ってみたいと言っていた私はやっと行ってきました！金沢には「加賀友禅」という友禅技法があると知っていた以来は本物をすごく見に行きたかったです。

I managed to visit two different studios making dyed work in the Kaga-yuzen technique. The main one was Maida Yuzen, thanks to my teachers' connections. The current head of the Maida studio is acclaimed dyer Maida Kenji, and I was shown around the atelier by his son and assistant dyer, Maida Hitoshi. (check out their nice website, lots of pictures)



 

「やまあい」訪問着、毎田友禅　Maida Yuzen's Homongi Kimono, Yama-ai Motif (a kind of plant that produces an indigo colour)



毎田染画工芸工房にて

加賀友禅工房を二つにも行けました。一つ目は先生のつながりのおかげで行けた所だけど、もう一つは偶然通った工房でした。先に金沢にある「毎田染画工芸」という加賀友禅の工房を見学させてもらいました。加賀友禅の世界では有名である毎田健治氏の工房で、息子・弟子の毎田仁嗣さんに工房の説明をもらいました。

毎田染画工芸。三人も同じ着物に色差しをしていました。　At Maida Yuzen. Here, 3 dyers were working on filling in the detailed dyed areas on the one kimono. (split into two long lengths of fabric)

In the true Japanese spirit of having regional specialties that are only slightly different to each other (to the untrained eye?), comparisons are often drawn between Kyoto style yuzen and Kaga Yuzen even though both were borne of the innovations made by former Kyoto resident and fan painter, Miyazaki Yuzensai.

「似ていますが、地方によると少し違う」という、日本人が大好きな概念の通り、京都友禅と加賀友禅がいくつかの点では異なっていると言われています。両方は京都の祇園に住んでいた宮崎友禅斎という扇子画家による作られた技法から始まっているんですが。

Example of Kaga style Yuzen at Maida Studio. The flowers are quite realistic and painterly. 毎田工房での「加賀友禅」の例。花や葉っぱが割と絵画的ですね。

Example of Kyoto style Yuzen (Kyo-yuzen) by well-known Kyoto company Chiso. You can see its very patterned and decorative.　京友禅の「千總」の振袖。模様的で鮮やかな感じですね。

Kaga Yuzen is said to be elegant and chic as opposed to the sometimes gaudy, over embellished Kyoto yuzen. Kaga style yuzen predominantly uses patterns based on realistic and painterly depictions of flowers, plants and birds etc. The painterly effects are achieved with delicate shading which traditionally goes from light at the centre of flowers to dark at the petal tips, whereas in Kyoto (how's this for too much information?) the motifs are paler towards the edges. They also like to say there are '6 colours of Kaga' : Indigo blue, deep rouge red, chrome yellow, grass green and royal purple. Anyway, it's all part of the marketing surrounding Kaga Yuzen.
加賀友禅というのは、落ち着いていて粋なスタイルで、主に写実的な花草をモチーフにしているものです。それと、丁寧なぼかしで絵画的な表現であり、いわゆる「加賀五彩」(臙脂・藍・黄土・草・古代紫の五色)で構成されていると言われています。

Another example of Kaga Yuzen, here a black formal tomesode with patterning only around the hem by Maida Kenji. 加賀友禅の黒留袖。毎田健治の作品です。

I'm not really into drawing such clear divisive lines between techniques because they are all complementary but I was impressed by the Kaga-yuzen use of colours which you don't see in Kyoto yuzen. Maybe it's because of the above "Kaga colours" but Maida studio was using quite deep blues and purples and greens alongside more familiar pale gradients. They were also mixing gofun (white chalk powder) into their dyes as well as using it on its own to achieve matte pastel colours that really sing and flat bright white sections. 

染色の中で技法は重なったりするから、技法はを堅く分けるのがあんまり好きじゃないけれども、確かに京友禅に見えない色合いは素敵でした。「加賀五彩」という概念の影響かどうかはわからないですが、毎田友禅では、馴染みがある暈した薄い色と一緒にかなり濃い青・緑・紫などを使っていました。それと、染料に胡粉を入れる又は樹脂と混ぜるだけで使って、パステルカラー、鮮やかな色やマットの白ができます。

 

detail of Furisode (long sleeved) kimono by Maida Kenji. very vivid colours! you can also see the use of white on some of the petals. 毎田健治の振袖の部分。鮮やかな色！胡粉で白くした花びらも見えますね。

Hem section of a furisode by Maida Kenji　毎田健治の振袖

Another thing that stood out (and I'm not sure if this is unique to Maida Yuzen or if it is a Kaga-yuzen trademark) was the clever use of texture to give the design depth and interest. The way I understood it from Hitoshi's explanation was that they dye one colour, then apply small dots/texture with thinned down resist paste, then when that is dry they dye over it again with a deeper colour or a slightly different tone. The result is a duotone speckled effect that can be as subtle or bold as you choose. 薄めた糊を染めたところにおいて、そのうえにまた濃いかちょっと違う色を塗ると、面白いテキスチャを作るというやり方も面白かった。これは加賀友禅の特徴か毎田さんのところに独特かどうかはわかりませんが。

you can see some of the speckled effect on the paler blue petals. This is taken while the paste is still on the fabric, once washed the speckled effect is more dramatic. 糊はまだ付いているけど、洗うとテキスチャがもっと目立ちます。

Unlike Kyoto-style yuzen that uses quite decorative patterns and pretty typical traditional motifs, the kimono (but also panels and some small things) I saw were mostly depicting flowers and birds: dyed artistically but also with botanical accuracy. The depictions of birds were of course of particular interest to me. There weren't any bird motifs being worked on when I was at Maida's studio but there are some great depictions of birds in other Kaga yuzen pieces. 京友禅の伝統的なモチーフや装飾的な感じに対して、加賀友禅では、花・草・鳥などは生き写しとは言えないが、かなり自然に近いように描かれています。私は（もちろん！）特に加賀友禅での鳥の描写に興味があります。見学のとき、鳥のモチーフは染めていなかったが、他の加賀友禅には素敵な例が見えます。





detail of a hanging piece by Teranishi Ikkou 寺西一紘の作品

Lively depiction of cranes on a hanayome noren: Bridal Curtain. 花嫁のれんの生き生きしてい鶴たちhttp://kd-rinya.com/noren/

It was a nice little trip to Kanazawa to see Kaga-yuzen up close. It makes you realise that despite the efforts to define Kaga yuzen as very different from Kyoto yuzen they are fundamentally very similar. I think using a combination of both styles, stradling the border line would really give you scope to create some amazing work. Also, seeing the way that Kaga yuzen artists value drawing from life, realistic depiction and delicate shading gives me confidence that my own approach to yuzen is legitimate and also inspires me to rely even more on drawing from observation.  That's really the only way to create something that feels lively and authentic. And on that note, I'm off to sketch for my next work!!
金沢に行って加賀友禅を目の前に見えてよかったです。京友禅と加賀友禅を別のものにする努力があるのに、実は基本的に同じ技法だということを気づきました。両方の特徴を生かして、間ぐらいで制作したら素敵なものが作れるのだと思いました。
それで、加賀友禅の作家がスケッチ、現実的な描写、丁寧なぼかしを重視することに、自分の作品にも自信を吹き込んでくれました。これから、もっと写生したいと思いました。生き生きとした作品にしたいなら、写生に頼るしかないのではないでしょうか？それでは、次の作品のスケッチをしにいきます！！

Looking and Learning - Studio Visits 工房見学によってエネルギーを。

「クリエーションに必要なことは、できるだけ多くのものを見たり、体験したり、勉強したり、また遊んだり、そんないろんなことで自分自身の感性を豊かにしていくことだと思います。経験は時間やお金に変えがたいものです。一日一日すべての事の積み重ねが自分達を成長させるエネルギーです。」今井 淳裕、千總　図案家

(my own translation) "To be able to create something you need to look at, experience, study and play with a wide variety of things. I believe all of these things enrich your own sensitivities. Money and time are no match for EXPERIENCE. The accumulation of your experiences each and every day become the energy that allows you to grow and move forward." Imai Atsuhiro, Designer for Chiso, Kyoto-Yuzen Kimono Company

この言葉が机の上に張ってあります。去年、今井さんが京都精華大学で毎年開催されている「京都の伝統美術工芸」講座に発表した時にこの言葉に感動しました。確かに制作したい気持ちを持つだけのが足りないですね。日本で大学院に入ったばかりで、これからの二年間を今井さんがおっしゃったのように時間を豊かに使いたいです！ということで、この二週間に三つの工房を見学しに行って来てしまいました！

I have these words pinned up above my desk. I was able to sit in on a talk given by Imai-san at Kyoto Seika University last year as part of the regularly run course "Kyoto's Traditional Arts & Crafts". As a creator of sorts just starting out, these words really resonated with me. It's true that you can't force creation in a vacuum and something will always be lacking if you produce work with blinders on. Having just entered the 2 year master's course at Kyoto Seika, I am especially keen to make the most of my time and widen my experiences as Imai-san suggested. And so, partly by chance, it happens that I visited 3 different dyeing studios in Kyoto in the past 2 weeks.

The central garden space in Takahashitoku 高橋徳YDSの庭。素敵！

 行って見た一つ目は「高橋徳」という友禅工房。味がある伝統的なビルにあって、一階が座敷のギャラリーと友禅小物の展示室になっています。中心に素敵な庭もあります！それで、二階には素敵なものが作られています！作業中の様子が見えて、染めている着物を見たら、「細かい！」と思うしか出来なかった。防染糊としてゴム糊が使われていて、指で触ってみたら生地に何も置いていないと思うほど細かい糊の線でした。染める人々が１人ずつのスペースがあって、筆や染料が色の試し布が全部並べていた。そういうきちんと整っている作業場所を見ると何よりも羨ましかった！

The first was "Takahashitoku" a Kyoto Yuzen Dyeing Workshop that has been around for 100 years or so in the heart of textiles territory in Kyoto's west. They create quite traditional looking yuzen dyed items and work as a contractor for other kimono companies in Kyoto. It's in this beautiful old building with a gallery and shop downstairs and the magic happening upstairs. We were able to see some kimono being dyed and...just, wow! The resist lines of the yuzen were so fine that you would barely see them were they not using a blue rubber based resist paste. The dedicated workspace for each dyer, with rows of brushes and small dishes with the various colours of dye all ready to go really appealed to the perfectionist in me! I'm standing there thinking, "What am I doing in Master's?! I want to come here and just concentrate on dyeing this ridiculously detailed kimono for 6 hours straight a day!" Call me crazy, perhaps. I was also happy and relieved to see that what I thought were my shonky methods (using laundry pegs and old plastic containers etc) are totally legitimate! Well, I'm not the only one, at least. 

Laundry clips and plastic containers and creative mess is legit! Phew!! 

訪ねてみた二件目は「栗山工房」でした。京都の右京区にあって、自然に囲まれている綺麗な場所です。オーストラリアから旅行に来たイラストレーターに一緒に行きました。工房のツアーで色んな段階を見せてくれました。大きな部屋には染作業に集中している６人ぐらいが居ました。１人ずつが着物一反を染めていくらしいです。それで、糊置きの部屋も見えました。糊板がびっしり頭の上に並べていました。その時間糊置きはしていなかったですが、紙の上に親切に糊置きのやりかたを見せました。何十年もやっている手しかできない速さで丁寧に型紙を繰り返して模様を完璧にあわせました。さすが！

The second atelier I visited was "Kuriyama Kobo" a katazome studio out on the beautiful western edge of Kyoto. I went with a fellow textiles fanatic, Tallulah who was visiting from Australia. We were given a tour of the various parts of the studio. First, the dyeing area where a group of dyers were each quietly working away on one entire length of kimono fabric, kept taut on a special roller system. Clever! Also the pasting room with a very low ceiling where one man was busy smoothing a length of kimono silk (approx 12 metres) onto a sticky wooden table, making sure it remains straight and wrinkle free. This then gets left in the hands of the very skilled paster. There wasn't anything being printed while we were there but the pasting man kindly gave us a quick demo on some paper, flicking the spatula around with such confidence. The studio had a great family vibe about it, the older staff supporting fresh graduates who have recently entered the company and everyone working closely together.

The dyers at Kuriyama Kobo. I want one of these roller systems! 栗山工房の染所

Mmm, blue resist paste. They put this strong blue coloured pigment in their paste to make it easy to see. Looks nasty though.　栗山工房では糊に青いを入れています。使いやすいかもしれないが、見た目はなんか気持ち悪い。

He's never done this before. Not.　全然糊置きしたことないようね。嘘です。

perfectly matched detailed printing.　完璧にあわせた細かい模様。

apparently there are some avid bird watchers at the studio!工房の誰かが鳥が好きそうです＾＾

one of the dyers was dyeing a goldfish pattern. I think this was on linen.　金魚の模様が色差し中。

それでは、最後の工房はロウケツ染めの「青野工房」でした。（今気付いたばっかりだけど、３軒とも違う防染技法を使っている工房だった！）京都の西本願寺の近くにあります。１９８０年に工房を設立した青野保夫さんがその日居て、とても楽しい出会いでした。工房の壁にビートルズの時計やジョン・レノンの写真とかがあったり、ギターも隅に置いたというような雰囲気がある工房で作られている着物や帯は確かにカッコイイ物ばっかりです！今までに見た着物とは全然違う気がします。青野さんの性格がその鮮やかで独特なデザインに出ていると思います。

And finally, (I've just realised that I managed to visit 3 different studios using 3 different resist dyeing techniques! Go me!!) "Aono Kobo" a rouketsu-zome (wax resist dyeing) studio tucked away in the suburbs not too far from Kyoto Station, near Nishi Honganji Temple. This place was such a treat. Aono Yasuo the master of the place is such a character and we were lucky that he was there that day. The walls are decorated with Beatles paraphenalia and the bathroom has become guitar storage, The Kimono that Aono kobo produce are so different from what I have seen before and I think it's really the playful, independant attitude of Aono-san coming through in the designs. Think kimono with words like "PEACE" and "LOVE" spelled out in large abstracted lettering or flame designs or bright blocks of colour with aztec-like border designs. 

Aono-san doing his thing. Applying dye after the wax resist had been hand-painted on. ロウが筆で置いたあと、手早く染めている青野さん。

Aono-san working on this kimono influenced by city nightscapes. 

It was great to hear Aono-san talking (and laughing) about what Kimono mean to him and how others in the Kimono world may view his style as almost taboo but that making something the same way as someone else serves no purpose. He is dedicated to the traditionally held virtue of kimono, that is, beautiful to look at on display as well as bringing out the beauty of the wearer. But at he really builds on this is very playful and unconventional with the placement of design elements, use of colours and fabrics. It was a breath of fresh air to meet someone (especially someone who is Japanese) with an open-minded approach to Kimono. It gives me the hope that Kimono may be able to be kept alive and relevant to young generations.

工房の見学っていうのは他人の創造的な脳にお邪魔するのようなことだと思います。作業のやりかた、何から影響を受けているのか、生活の中に作業がどういう風にに入れているなどが見えます。そういう大切なところが見えてすごくありがたいです。この３つの工房を見に行ってから新しいアイディアやインサイトが出来て、今井さんが京都精華での発表に言った「エネルギー」も与えられたと気がします。

Visiting a studio is like going inside somebody else's creative brain. You see how they work, what they are influenced by, how they integrate their life and their creation. I'm really grateful to have been allowed to see inside these quite private places. These visits have given me new insights and ideas and the energy to move forward that Imai-san spoke about in his lecture.