Tokyo Honzome Chusen (Dyeing)
Tokyo Honzome Chusen (Dyeing) is a stencil dyeing technique that originated from the "pour dyeing" method, a way of dyeing tenugui (hand towels) devised by Edo dyers during the late Edo period. The initial stages of the technique are believed to have been established by the mid-19th century. In Tokyo, since the late Meiji period, the Chusen technique has been applied to yukata (summer kimono) fabric, and the technique has been refined. Because dye is poured onto both sides of the equally stenciled fabric, it results in a double-sided dye that combines intricate detail with a deep, undulating effect. Today, its uses have expanded beyond tenugui and yukata to include fashion accessories, clothing, and interior goods.
overview
| Craft item name | Tokyo Honzome Chusen (Dyeing) |
|---|---|
| Reading | Tokyo Honzome Chusen |
| Classification of crafts | Dyed products |
| Main Products | |
| Main manufacturing area | Tokyo: Adachi Ward, Katsushika Ward, Edogawa Ward; Tochigi Prefecture: Utsunomiya City; Gunma Prefecture: Takasaki City |
| Designated date | October 26, 2020 |
contact address
■ Production area association
Kanto Chusen Dyeing Industry Cooperative Association
124-0012
Tokyo Wasarashi Co., Ltd., 4-14-9 Tateishi, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo
TEL: 03-3693-3333
Features
The origin of Chusen dyeing in Tokyo is said to be that a dyer in Fukagawa devised a method called "pouring dyeing," in which indigo was poured over a stencil to dye tenugui (hand towels) which often have a lot of white background and are difficult to dye with conventional indigo dyeing. In the early to mid-19th century, coinciding with the emergence of indigo pour dyeing, tenugui dyers (later Chusen dyers) gathered in Kanda, and a culture developed of custom-dyeing tenugui with ingenious designs as gifts for the entertainment industry and hobbyists. In the Meiji period, the Chusen dyeing technique that continues to this day was developed in Osaka, and it subsequently spread to Tokyo. Although Chusen dyeing started with tenugui, its application to yukata fabric was started in Osaka, and by the end of the Meiji period, Chusen dyeing of yukata fabric also began in Tokyo.
In Tokyo, since the Edo period, yukata have been dyed using a meticulous double-sided dyeing technique called nagaita chugata. Therefore, they also pursue the art of chusen dyeing, excelling at crisp, intricate patterns, delicate variations in color, shading, and Hosokawa dyeing. Tokyo's chusen dyeing, which values meticulous handiwork, has been called "honzome" (authentic dyeing) since the early Showa period, and the playful spirit of Edo and the skills of artisans are still passed down today.
How to make it
The pattern, stretched over the frame, is lowered onto the fabric, and the resist paste is applied using a spatula. The fabric is then carefully folded over at the edge where the paste was applied, and the process of applying the paste is repeated until the resist paste is evenly distributed on both sides of the fabric.
The fabric is patterned in batches of several rolls, and dye is poured over the folded layers using a kettle with a narrow spout. The entire piece is then turned inside out and dye is poured from the back as well.
There are several dyeing techniques, including "single-color dyeing," "differential dyeing" where multiple colors are dyed at once, "blurring dyeing" where different colored dyes are blended together, and "Hosokawa dyeing" which involves layering dyes. In the case of differential dyeing, blurring, and some Hosokawa dyeing techniques, a resist paste barrier is created using a paste tube, and when dyeing fine patterns, a "thrusting stick" is used to carefully dye the fabric. The dyed fabric is then washed with water and sun-dried to finish.
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