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Japanese Tenugui, Integrating Tradition in Daily Life
Kyoto-Kinki
Area
A Treasure Trove of Culture and Tradition
Various traditional handicrafts have emerged in Kyoto such as 京鹿の子絞り(Kyokanoko-shibori) Kyo-kanoko tie dye, 西陣織 (Nishijin-ori）Nishijin silk fabrics, 京友禅 (Kyo-yuzen) Kyoto printed silk, 京繍 (Kyo-shu) Kyoto embroidery, 京人形 (Kyo-nigyo) Kyoto dolls, and 京版画 (Kyo-hanga) Kyoto woodblock print, to name a few.
Blessed with countless beautiful temples and shrines, Kyoto houses 17 world heritage sites such as Kinkaku-ji Temple also known as the Golden Pavilion, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and the Ryoan-ji Temple with its famous Zen garden. Millions of tourists from all over the world visit the region every year, to immerse themselves in the rich history that Kyoto offers.
A treasure trove for tourists, Kyoto preserves its cultural heritage and breathe life into them through adaptive reuse, a process of repurposing old structure such as historical architectural buildings for new use. Schoolhouses, townhouses, and even temples are transformed into hotels for a more sustainable and immersive experience.
History
Over a Century of Combining Tradition and Innovation
Since its foundation in 1903 as a cotton cloth wholesaler in Kyoto, Yoake Co., Ltd. has consistently dealt mainly in natural materials such as cotton and hemp. With over a century of experience in the business, the company continues to innovate to meet the needs of the times.
Combining traditional techniques and new ideas under the concept of "Into your daily life,” the talented craftsmen continue to pursue the development of rare and unique products that can be incorporated into daily life.
Characteristic
Living in Harmony with Tradition
Specializing in Kyo-kanoko shibori, a traditional tie-dye technique named after the patterns resembling the spots of a fawn, the creative craftsmen of Yoake Co., Ltd. use this technique to produce everyday items such as tenugui hand towels, hats, cushion covers, luncheon mats, coasters, and more, to integrate tradition into daily living.
Beautiful patterns emerge when fabrics are dyed through binding with string, sewing, or pressing with a board, creating unique blots and blurs. The charm of tie-dyeing is that not a single pattern emerges the same after production, making it the only one of its kind in the world.
In addition to the traditional techniques of basket dyeing and itajime shibori, a method of making patterns by pressing cloth between carved boards, the artisans are challenging themselves to take on new methods of expression such as "somewake shibori" and "maruta shibori bokashizome.”
For Customers
The Only One of its Kind
Patterns will vary slightly depending on the dyeing time and the way the fabrics are layered, even if the artisans dye the same lot of shibori by hand.
We hope that you enjoy the uniqueness of being the only one as no two patterns will ever be exactly the same.
