Although Gujo is less than two hours from Kyoto, it feels a world away — remote enough that even our Japanese friend Yuki, who joined Patricia and me for the day, had never been there.
Gujo was built over 400 years ago in a valley where three rivers meet. A white-winged yamashiro (traditional mountain castle) appears to float above the town, providing a beautiful contrast against the clear blue sky and surrounding greenery.
Pristine canals lining the streets are still used today for washing food, dishes, laundry — and rinsing out indigo dye!
Our first stop upon arrival — hitsumabushi (grilled eel). Yuki’s favorite! The speciality dish features charcoal-grilled eel over a bowl of rice, served with a variety of condiments and side dishes. We left with big smiles, full bellies, and in firm agreement it was one of the best meals we’d ever had.
Next, we headed to the Watanabe Indigo Dyehouse. Founded in 1580, the dyehouse once made clothing for Samurai who controlled the area. Back then, it was one of 17 shops; today, it’s the last one standing, known for honoring the ancient art of indigo dying and making massive koinobori (carp banners).
The 15th-generation indigo master, Kazuyoshi Watanabe, and his wife Keiko, greeted us. After tying or stitching different designs on our cotton scarves, we set to work hand-dying them in ancient vats.
It was a perfect dye day; blue bubbles bloomed atop the vats, indicating the natural indigo was healthy and ready to work.
Once our scarves had been dyed a rich blue, we washed them in the river water flowing in front of the shop. Each emerged an indigo masterpiece! Yuki created his company brand Wonderwood, Patricia got creative with tying, and I tried my hand at ombre.
The fresh mountain air, succulent hitsumabushi, and warm welcome from our new artisan friends left us charmed.
While the Okan Arts team is still planning their upcoming indigo tour for October 2025, one thing is clear — everyone must experience the perfect day in Gujo.
# # # # #
ABOUT US: Okan Arts, a petite family business, is co-owned by mother-daughter duo Patricia Belyea and Victoria Stone. Patricia and Victoria sell Japanese textiles online, host creative quilting experiences, and lead quilting & textile tours to Japan.
FOLLOW OKAN ARTS ON INSTAGRAM @okanarts
