Kimono Style | Visiting Arimatsu, Home of Shibori Dyeing

The town of Arimatsu, located 11 km (6.8 mi) southeast of Nagoya, is a town with a long history. It was the site of the Battle of Okehazama, where Oda Nobunaga beat Imagawa Yoshimoto and established himself as a major warlord in 1560.

It is also one of the stations on the Tokaido road, which stretches from Tokyo to Kyoto and was the main route east and west between these cities in the Edo period.

Along the Old Tokaido

As the rulers of various regions around Japan were legally required to spend some time living in Edo (Tokyo), large numbers of people travelled along this route. Not only daimyo and samurai groups but pilgrims and traders would also have used this route along the Pacific side of Japan.

The stations, or post towns, provided welcome rest for weary travelers on their long journeys. Arimatsu was pictured by Utagawa Hiroshige in his famous series of ukiyoe prints of the stations of the Tokaido road, and the buildings he depicted look similar to the main street today.

Arimatsu has maintained the main merchant houses along its main street. Founded as a village in 1608, Arimatsu later became a town. Today, it is best known for its 400-year tradition of shibori, a form of resist dyeing.

The dyeing technique is thought to have been introduced by artisans from Bungo, Kyushu, and shibori dyeing was originally used to extend the life of clothing, hide stains, etc.

However, in Arimatsu, they began to utilize cotton from the newly established local cotton industry and make small towels and decorated goods to sell to the travellers who stayed there. Textiles are compact, easy to carry and difficult to break, so they made good souvenirs for those back home.

Nearby, Nagoya Castle was established and fine kimono were required for upper-class people there. Kaneko (fawn-spot) dyeing on fine kimono was very popular. This industry made Arimatsu a wealthy town and the industry continues today. Fine silk kimono for Kyoto are dyed here as well as cotton yukata and other goods.

Mastering the Art of Pattern

Arimatsu is the centre of the shibori industry. The image of shibori in the west is probably a big circle on a T-shirt, but that is just one of many techniques of shibori. There are thought to be around a hundred different techniques made in Arimatsu.

Sekka shibori is made by folding fabric into triangles and compressing the layers together, creating flower- or starburst-like patterns.

Tegumo shibori produces areas with radial lines extending from the centre like a spider web, while koubushi shibori involves sewing an outline which is then pulled tight and the cloth inside it is covered with a waterproof cover of polythene to stop dyes seeping in.

Wrapping fabric around pipes, binding it, and compressing it in various ways to prevent the dye from penetrating the entire cloth is the name of the game. An infinite variety of patterns can be created using these techniques, although indigo-dyed cotton yukata are perhaps the most famous and well-loved products.

Festival Weekend in Arimatsu

On the first weekend in June, Arimatsu held its annual shibori festival. It also holds a dashi float festival in October.

As soon as I left the station, I could see that almost everyone was dressed in shibori yukata. The streets themselves were dressed up with shibori banners and some tan mono were also raised high into the air like banners.

The many shibori workshops and shops were open and people had come from far and wide with the intention of purchasing a shibori yukata or kimono bolt. The shops were so crowded that people waiting were given tickets to get into them. This weekend of the year must account for a large portion of the annual sales of shibori.

Craftsmanship on Display

Colorful bolts were piled up and buyers were searching for the perfect one to match their taste. Patterns were not only traditional ones, but original and new ones such as jellyfish were also on display. Some bolts were multi-coloured so there was an amazing variety of types and colours on display. The main town is a ribbon from east to west and there are almost 30 shibori related businesses along this route, so it is easy to get around and see them all.

The Arimatu-Narumi Tie-Dyeing Museum was open and there were opportunities to have a shibori experience. The school gym was used for a display of shibori outfits to which I contributed an outfit inspired by a nautical theme, an indigo and white yukata with red highlights dyed in a kind of donut pattern, which I paired with a stencil dyed obi that has a pattern of ships on it. It also provided space for talk shows.

Where Tradition Thrives

Kimono dressing coordinator Ayaaya was giving a talk in the afternoon with the owner of kimono shop kimono tento. I had the morning slot, discussing my new publication with Michelle, a local kimono ambassador who is a key character in the local kimono community. There was a display of dyeing techniques in the gym.

During the weekend there was a washi fan-making experience, a guided local tour, and a parade on Saturday and marching band on Sunday. We could see some of the local artisan women sewing up shibori cloth ready for the dyeing. At the western end of the street, a dashi was out and a performance took place.

On this weekend, this normally sleepy town was buzzing with life and the restaurants were all full, but there was street food to be enjoyed. Fortunately the weather was favorable, so we were able to sit outside to enjoy our lunch. It was very exciting to see that this kind of kimono is still being produced and is obviously very much in demand by both young and old kimono lovers.

For fans of textiles and also the architecture of the merchant houses, Arimatsu is a great location to visit and on a non-festival day must provide a pleasant change from other more crowded tourist destinations.