Historical background

Kusaki-zome has been used for over a thousand years. The Takamatsuzuka Tomb in Nara, Japan, dating back to the 7th century, provides an early example of this technique. The tomb's walls display paintings of women wearing colorful garments. Japan imported foreign plants to acquire beautiful colors. During the Heian Period (794-1185), clothing held great significance with specific colors and patterns dedicated to each season. This is evident in famous Heian literature such as The Tale of Genji and The Pillow Book. In the late Edo period, citizens gained access to cotton and Ai-Zome, a dark blue dye made from indigo, became popular for clothing. The use of kusaki-zome began to decrease only during the Industrial Revolution. The process of natural dyeing was endangered by the dyeing agents and mechanizations that began during the Meiji Period.