旦暮庁 TANBO-CHŌ

Fabric Decoration Techniques

Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the fabric decoration techniques below, you can begin to identify the methods that were likely used in a given illustration or extant. This list is far from exhaustive, but covers the most common types. For more details on each technique, check out the specific articles on this website, or the Kyо̄to Dyeing and Weaving Culture Association article.

Resist-dyeing thread before weaving: kasuri (絣, ‘ikat’), including karaori (唐織, ‘Chinese weave’) and noshime (熨斗目, ‘appearance like strips of abalone’)

Kasuri process: bundles of thread tied to prevent dye from reaching certain areas, En-Nichi
Noshime kosode woven from differentially-dyed thread belonging to Uesugi Kenshin, Nihon no Bijutsu 67

Compression resist: shibori (絞り, ‘squeezed’)

One of the many types of shibori wrapped in bamboo sheathing and hemp cord, photo credit Tsukime
Shibori-dyed dо̄buku (coat) given by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Kyо̄to National Museum

Rice paste resist: tsutsugaki (筒描, ‘tube-drawn’) and katazome (型染め, ‘stencil-dyeing’)

A mixture of rice paste is applied to the fabric before dyeing, so that the dye is prevented from reaching the fabric in those areas.

“A History of Early Katazome“

Tsutsugaki process: rice paste squeezed freehand through a cone before dye is brushed on, Cultural Heritage Online
Dark blue hemp suо̄ with motif of flowers and paper, Momoyama period Noh costume, Shun-ki Tokubetsu-ten
Katazome process: applying rice paste through a stencil, Yamazaki Kusakizome
Kosode belonging to Tokugawa Ieyasu, Katazome: Tradition and Today

Applying ink/dye/pigment to fabric: kaki-e (描き絵, ‘drawing pictures’) and kata-surizome (型摺り染め, ‘stencil print-dyeing’)

Article: “Ink and Pigment in Fabric Decoration“

Process of ink painting on fabric (sumi kaki-e), here shown as part of the complex fabric decoration method called tsujigahana, E-Shibori-An
Hand-painted dо̄buku (coat) belonging to Uesugi Kenshin, Uesugi Shrine
Kata-surizome process: colored paste is applied though a stencil, Haibara Online Museum
Reproduction of a Kamakura period kazuki (garment designed to be draped over the head) featuring cherry blossoms stenciled in gofun (white pigment made from ground seashells), Kyо̄to Dyeing and Weaving Association

Embroidery: multiple terms including nuidori (縫い取り, ‘stitches taken’) and shishū (刺繍, ‘prick-sewn’)

See Cultural Heritage Online for images.

Brocaded weaves can look very much like embroidery, and may incorporate kasuri resist dyeing.

The process of Japanese embroidery, Kurenai-kai
Embroidered kosode, Momoyama period, Kyо̄to National Museum

Metallic foil application: surihaku (摺箔, ‘printed foil’)

See Cultural Heritage Online for images.

Application of adhesive for gold foil, Tanaka Kinsai
Child’s Noh costume with surihaku grapevines and decorative paper, Tо̄kyо̄ National Museum

References:

  1. Cardon, Dominique. Natural Dyes: Sources, Tradition, Technology and Science. London: Archetype, 2007.
  2. Ito, Toshiko. Tsujigahana : The Flower of Japanese Textile Art. Kodansha America, Incorporated, 1985.
  3. Kaneko, Kenji. Katazome, Komon, Chuugata. Kyoto: Fujioka Mamoru, 1994.
  4. Kyoto Dyeing and Weaving Association. https://senshokubunka-kyoto.jp/gijyutu/ Accessed 2/13/24.
  5. Nakano, Eiko and Barbara Stephan. Japanese stencil dyeing: paste-resist techniques. New York: Weatherhill 1982.
  6. Stinchecum, AM. Kosode: 16th to 19th Century Textiles From the Nomura Collection. Japan Society and Kodansha International, 1984.

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