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2024.03.15

Immerse yourself in the charm of traditional crafts. Spend some time traveling at the Kyoto Shibori Crafts Museum

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Immerse yourself in the charm of traditional crafts. Spend some time traveling at the Kyoto Shibori Crafts Museum

 

Tie-dyeing is deeply connected to the history of Kyoto. To fully enjoy its charm, I visited the Kyoto Shibori Crafts Museum, the only museum in Japan that specializes in tie-dyeing.

 

 

Connecting the 1,300-year-old history of tie-dyeing to the future

 

 

 

Kyoto is a city where Japanese history has been passed down to the present day, including its streets and culture. Many of the traditional dyeing techniques have been passed down to the present day as Kyoto's specialty products. Among them, "shibori dyeing" is the oldest dyeing technique in Japan, with a history of 1,300 years.

 

The Kyoto Shibori Crafts Museum, a museum themed on this historic tie-dyeing technique, opened in 2001. "We opened the museum to connect the appeal of tie-dyeing, one of Kyoto's cultures, to the present and future," says Deputy Director Yoshioka with confidence.

 

 

Tie-dyeing is the culmination of advanced craftsmanship

 

Tie-dyeing is a technique in which fabric is dyed while it is tied with thread. The parts that are tied with thread do not get dyed and remain white. Tie-dyeing is characterized by the pattern created by a collection of small beads. The work of Honhikitashibori, in which silk is used to tie each bead one by one, requires the highly skilled craftsmanship of the artisan.

 

 

 

 

An artisan can squeeze out about 300 beads a day. Even the Haribikida Shibori method, which uses needles, can squeeze out about 3,000 beads. It takes about 150,000 beads to squeeze out one kimono, so it's easy to see how long the squeezing process alone takes.

 

The small pieces of cloth that have been squeezed out are then dipped into the liquid and dyed. The finished product is not seen until the dye is complete and the threads are untied. Another characteristic of tie-dyeing is that it is a one-of-a-kind piece, as it is done by hand by a craftsman. The finished product, which is the result of such tense work, makes you think about how delicate and valuable it is.

 

 

The challenge of conveying the charm of dyeing that lives in the city of Kyoto

 

Tie-dyeing used to be a family business. "When I woke up in the morning, I would watch my parents working on the shibori process next to me. It was a part of everyday life. The culture of living and working together has disappeared, and now there are fewer opportunities to come into contact with shibori in our daily lives. The same goes for my son, who never sees the shibori process on a daily basis," explains Deputy Director Yoshioka Nobumasa.

 

As times change, there are fewer opportunities to see the real traditional crafts and learn all about the process of tie-dyeing. However, Kyoto is a city where many traditional crafts, including tie-dyeing, are still carried on today, and Yoshioka says that "it's like a theme park for traditional crafts."

 

 

I want to convey the charm of the traditional craft of tie-dyeing in its entirety.

 

 

 

"We want to show traditional crafts in their true form. If we want to convey the appeal of shibori to more people, we think it would be good to have a place where people can stop by as part of their sightseeing. A place where people can fully enjoy the appeal of shibori from both the practical and appreciative sides is ideal. This is why we decided to open the Kyoto Shibori Crafts Museum."

 

The Kyoto Shibori Crafts Museum was opened as a base for communicating to many people the charm of shibori, including the techniques that have been handed down for 84 years since Yoshioka's grandfather, as well as the history that goes back to before that.

 

 

Immerse yourself in the world of dyeing through both experience and appreciation



The Kyoto Shibori Crafts Museum has an experience studio on the first floor and an art museum on the second floor. "We recommend that you try the dyeing experience first, and then enjoy appreciating the works," explains the deputy director, Mr. Yoshioka.

By actually dyeing with your own hands and experiencing the joy and difficulty of dyeing firsthand, you can truly appreciate the incredible craftsmanship of the artisans after viewing the finished product.

The Kyoto Shibori Crafts Museum is an art museum themed around tie-dyeing, Japan's oldest dyeing technique, and is a place that adds color to your trip to Kyoto through its experiences.

 

 

 

 

京都絞り工芸館
電話:075-221-4252
住所:京都府京都市中京区油小路通御池南入ル
アクセス:二条城前駅から徒歩5分 / 烏丸御池駅から徒歩10分
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