If you're going to Kyoto, you'll want to experience history through an experience. By actually seeing and touching the history, you'll be able to fully appreciate the charm of Kyoto's elegance. I visited the Marumasu Nishimuraya Kyo-Yuzen Experience Studio to experience the charm of Kyoto's traditional craft, Kyo-Yuzen.

Kyo-Yuzen boasts 350 years of history

Kyo-Yuzen was started by Miyazaki Yuzensai 350 years ago. Kyo-Yuzen is characterized by beautiful patterns on kimonos that look like paintings. The bright and colorful Yuzen continues to fascinate people today as it did in the past. At "Kyo-Yuzen Experience Studio Marumasu Nishimuraya," you can experience Kyo-Yuzen in a traditional Kyoto townhouse.

Until a long-established company founded in 1905 opened an experience workshop

Marumasu Nishimuraya was founded by the grandfather of traditional craftsman Yoshio Nishimura. He decided to open an experience workshop as a way to connect the traditions that have been passed down from the company's founding to the present day.



Second generation: Yoshio Nishimura

"I started the experience workshop about 30 years ago. Business wasn't going well for the first five years or so. That's because at the time, Kyoto was dominated by tourism to shrines and temples. I feel that the demand for experiences has gradually grown until we reach where we are today," Nishimura said, talking about the difficulties he faced at the time.

At the time of opening, there were few long-established shops offering experience workshops for traditional crafts. Nishimura says that the reason he decided to open his shop was because of the shrinking kimono market.

"It is necessary to convey the beauty of Kyo-Yuzen while flexibly responding to the changes of the times. I thought that this would lead to the true succession of tradition, so I decided to open an experience studio," Nishimura told us emphatically.


Immerse yourself in Kyoto culture in a traditional townhouse setting

Proceeding from the entrance, you will find the experience workshop. The unique, deep structure is unique to the townhouse and is called the "eel bed". Based on a historical building that is over 100 years old, the space makes the most of the townhouse's characteristics.

The workshop, which utilizes a Kyoto townhouse, is filled with Nishimura's thoughts.





"When I traveled all over the country, I felt that Kyoto's good old culture was amazing after all. Commercial facilities, fashion buildings, and other modern things are everywhere. But Kyomachiya townhouses are only found in Kyoto. That's why I decided to run a workshop that made use of Kyomachiya," Nishimura said, talking about the charm of Kyomachiya.


Creating unique pieces is an experience only possible in a workshop




The experience at the workshop is called "Kata-Yuzen." Choose your favorite pattern from over 3,000 patterns and create your own original work. For example, there are patterns of Kyoto's famous sightseeing spots such as Kinkakuji Temple, and you can even dye your patterns with memories of your trip. Combining multiple patterns will result in a one-of-a-kind piece.


Experience Kyo-Yuzen to enrich your time in Kyoto




"There's value in actually touching and feeling the craftsmanship. I hope this will be an experience that brings Kyo-Yuzen closer to you, so please come and spend some memorable time in the workshop," says Nishimura in a friendly manner.

The Yuzen dyeing culture has been cultivated throughout history. This unique Kyoto experiencewill provide you with a new perspective to add color to your special trip. Reservations can be made at the hotel front desk.

京友禅体験工房 丸益西村屋
電話：075-211-3273 
住所：京都市中京区小川通御池南入ル
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 
HP：https://www.marumasu-nishimuraya.co.jp/
SNS：https://www.instagram.com/mayu_by_marumasunishimuraya/
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