Discovering fermented food in Gujo!
Miyamoto’s tour
Fermented indigo blue! Gujo Indigo Dye

The reason we planned to visit here is the Hanten (Short coat) in the picture that we bought from “Watanabe Indigo Dyehouse”.

My husband usually wears this hanten when he is working. Many koji shops have long history, he is quite rare that he is the first generation. He is a rough person that everyone knows. Hanten from Watanabe Indigo Dyehouse makes him look commanding. When you put it on, you will immediately be surrounded by the magic of this smart indigo blue, seems like a dignified owner doing for generations.

Few people know that indigo dye is actually a kind of fermentation! People soak and ferment the leaves of the indigo plant in water to make a dye called “Sukumo” and do fermentation again to make a dyeing solution. Because when the fermentation goes weaker, the color will become lighter. Once you soak in the solution, you need to keep for 3 days and let the microorganism do the fermentation. This is how traditional indigo dye works.

Beautiful water coming from mountains and technology of human
generate a pure color

I am surprised that I find lots of pots when I step into the workshop. I am wondering why they are so near to the entrance. I understood the reason right after I heard about how they dye. The person who dyed for us is the 15th generation of the shop, a holder of Intangible Cultural Properties in Gujo, Mr Kazuyoshi Watanabe.

“Sukumo is in brown color in the beginning. When the fermentation progresses, the blue flower appears saying fermentation is under progress.” Soaking cloth into dyeing solution inside the pot and drying it with a rod, every step is as beautiful as a Japanese dance. After soaking and drying for several times, Mr Watanabe leads us outside. He washes the cloth in a narrow stream.

“Oxygen in the air reacts and becomes indigo blue color. We wash in water in order to let the oxygen in the water react with the deeper part of the cloth. Especially cold water coming from many mountains contains more oxygen, so it makes the color better.” This beautiful water makes this incredible indigo dye! That is why the pots are placed near to the entrance!

Protecting the skills and improving from time to time

After dyeing, we have a talk with Mr Watanabe. He tells us that he does all the steps of designing, preparing and spreading the starch, painting colors, dyeing, washing and drying. Most dyers separate all procedures. It is rare that he does all on his own. It is the reason why his creations are full of passion.

There are plenty of products available in the shop. You can find very cool tapestry, curtain, Hanten, Yukata (Informal cotton kimono in summer), western clothes, shawl and canvas bag and other modern items here. The indigo dye here is more refined than printed items or chemical dye. You can be much cooler and outstanding when you wear it

The wide variety of products is coming from the tradition protected and improved from generation to generation. The holder of Important Intangible Cultural Properities, Yasuhei Hishiya (Mr Shokichi Watanabe) produced artistic design of tapestry. His successor, Mr Kazuyoshi Watanabe started making handbags and handkerchiefs that normal people are able to use in daily life. The range of color becomes wider too.

Dyeing experience workshop is popular recently. Please have a look of the products from Watanabe Indigo Dyehouse and try dyeing yourself. You can feel the tradition, culture, hand work and the nature of Gujo. Your heart will be enriched.