Matsueda Indigo Dyeing and Ikatt Weaving

They selected this specific place in the woods to open a workshop, as the water, air and vegetation of the place was suitable.

Tetsuya Matsueda his grandfather was accredited as an intangeble cultural heritage (skills for dyeing and weaving) owner. The family runs a workshop of indigo dyeing and ikatt weaving. Now his son in the 20s is practicing to succeed the knowledge and skills.

Indigo jars being warmed up with raw ‘sumac fruit’ wax in the hole next to them. They work with pottery kilns nearby to use the wood ash for this, and after using it to create indigo, give it back to the kiln so they can use it for glazing the pottery.

The air (oxidization) and sunlight gives the final touch to the dyeing. Opendoor drying brings out bright colors of the dye

Indigo leaves after fermentation for four months. Bags of the fermented leaves are sent from a workshop in Shikoku island, then you put them in the jars buried in clay, and feed the specific bacterias on the plant their food - such as barley, wood ash, burnt shell powder, and sake - to aid the chemical reduction which will create the blue color of the dye.

Sayoko, his wife weaves the ikatt using the authentic wooden machines. They do the design, making knots on the threads according to the design, dyeing, then weaving. Their customers are from cultural and intellectural worlds, and they know how many kimono rolls and for whom in a year they will be producing in advance.