Immerse in Edo komon dyeing at this more than 100-year-old textile studio
2 hour group experience
Location: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Offered in Japanese, with friendly Deeper Japan guide interpreting in your language
A minimum of 2 guests is required to book. Solo participants are welcome but will be charged the 2-person rate
Meet the Master
What you’ll do
Tour the factory workshop and learn more about Edo komon and Edo sarasa. Next, learn about the history of the studio and get a glimpse of work in progress, as well as completed textiles. Then, with instruction from a craftsperson, dye a fukusa cloth with a stenciled pattern of your choice.
Children must be 10+
What to wear
Clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty
Availability
Monday to Friday
Session 1 (9:00 -11:00)
Session 2 (10:00 - 12:00)
Session 3 (13:30 - 15:30)
Session 4 (14:00 - 16:00)
Session 5 (14:30 - 16:30)
Unavailable on weekends, national holidays, and New Year's holidays
Access
15 minutes by car from Tokyo Station
What’s included
Hand-dyed fukusa handkerchief
Attention to Detail
As Edo thrived under the peace and stability instilled by the Tokugawa Shogunate, a style of dyeing technique known as komon circulated around the city. Edo komon, the smallest-sized stenciled dyeing pattern, was traditionally used in samurai ceremonial dress, each design representative of one family. However, towards the middle of the Edo period, the style began to be circulated amongst the masses, elevating their dress and with it, a sense of freedom of expression. Another Edo dyeing technique, sarasa, was a pattern mimicking beautifully colored designs from the Middle East. First painted by hand, it evolved into being crafted by a combination of stencils and patterns that have since survived the test of time, with modern audiences still finding joy in these time-worn patterns. This factory workshop, operating since 1882 and currently led by a 6th-generation master, brings together the old with the new by incorporating Edo komon and sarasa into dyeing modern-day apparel, even tasked with creating the representative scarf design for the mayor of Tokyo to wear for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. At this historic dyeing studio, experience a genuine Edo Tokyo tradition full of bold color and intricately elegant details.
Cancellation Policy
Please make your booking at least 7 days in advance. See cancellation policy here.
A detailed itinerary will be emailed to you once your booking has been confirmed.
