Yukatas with sunflowers, goldfish and uchiwa fans, the cool and refreshing designs remind us of the arrival of summer.
Along with rice crackers and leather crafts, yukata is one of the three major local industries in Soka City, Saitama Prefecture.
Tokiyoshi Hiruma, 85, a prefectural traditional craftsman, is the only person in the prefecture to carry on the traditional dyeing technique 'Chusen' which means a pour way to dye.
The eldest of seven siblings, Hiruma entered the world of dyeing immediately after graduating from junior high school.
There were many dye works near the school in Yashio, Saitama where he went to school, and his desire to "give filial piety as soon as possible" pushed him back.
His apprenticeship was a series of hard days.
He went to the workshop earlier in the morning than anyone else and observed the master's techniques up close.
"You don't learn the skills from someone, you steal it. At the time, I was just trying to make a living. Once I'm on my own, I can handle it."
For seven or eight years, until he became independent in his mid-20s, he believed in himself and continued to hone his skills.
Chusen is a technique in which dye is poured on top of layers of fabric and dyed into a pattern.
As the threads themselves are dyed, there's no reverse side, and deep shades are a feature.
The colours fade each time the fabric is used, giving the fabric a deep taste.
Soka's yukata production flourished in the 1950s and 60s after the end of the WW2 and it became one of the leading production centres in the country, producing 3 million yukata a year at the most.
Orders poured in daily to Hiruma. The yukata were highly valued as a luxury item by the wholesales in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.
However, the spread of western-style clothing and inexpensive printed yukata has led to a sharp decline in the number of yukata dyed with Chusen. Dyeing workshops have almost completely disappeared.
In early June, when a new yukata presentation, which was held for the first time in three years due to the pandemic, was held, many students gathered at the venue to see Hiruma's work.
Hiruma lectures at art universities and city courses, and continues to generously share his experiences and techniques.
The purpose of this is to keep the tradition of Soka's yukata alive and to preserve it for future generations.
"They are still green, but I'm very happy that the seeds I have planted in many places have blossomed and many talents have emerged," Hiruma said and smiled gently.
Comments
Post a Comment