To learn about Okan Arts’ 12-day textile tours to Japan +click here
By Patricia Belyea
ARIMATSU JP These days, the Bullet Train in Japan can whisk you from Tokyo to Kyoto in about two hours. Four hundred years ago, the journey took two weeks.
Along the historic Tokaido Highway, one of the 53 post stations was Arimatsu. This small village became known for its home industry — tie-dyed cloth called shibori.
The craft flourished thanks to the ready availability of Chita cotton and the development of more than 100 intricate patterns created by tying, clamping, folding, and stitching.
I’ve visited Arimatsu many times on our Kyoto Textile Adventure tours. The Arimatsu Narumi Tie Dyeing Museum always takes me back in time with its traditional shibori patterns. In contrast, the local boutiques push my understanding forward with gorgeous contemporary clothing and textiles.
During my most recent visit, I stumbled upon something unexpected.
From the front door of the museum, I walked two long blocks to the right, and discovered the shop of Takahiro Satou.
Takahiro uses shibori techniques to create vegetable-tanned patterns on leather! It’s a fresh evolution of a 400-year-old craft — shibori reimagined.
The results are both surprising and irresistible. A grandson of a shibori master, Takahiro has been immersed in the local craft tradition his entire life.
BELOW: Compare cotton shibori with leather shibori.
His space combines a workshop with a small gallery. Bags, booties, purses, and other pieces showcase his beautifully crafted leather goods.
Arimatsu is an irresistible destination for textile lovers visiting Japan. And Takahiro’s shop, Itowa, is well worth seeking out.
To visit the Itowa website +click here
To learn about Okan Arts’ 12-day textile tours to Japan +click here
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ABOUT US: Okan Arts, a petite family business, is co-owned by mother-daughter duo Patricia Belyea and Victoria Stone. Patricia and Victoria import vintage Japanese textiles, host in-person and online creative quilting experiences, and lead textile tours to Japan.
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