Hi, I’m a Japanese university student who is working on a project of spreading the beauty of Japanese wedding culture (Wakon) especially Kyoto to the world.
Nowadays number of tourists visit Kyoto city is increasing dramatically. Kyoto is really nice place to feel Japanese tradition for them. Among tourists, it is popular to experience wearing kimono.
The Real Situation of Current Kimono Industry
Even if you’re not interested in Japanese culture, you might have seen Kimono somewhere. It is Japanese traditional cloth. In Kyoto where a former imperial palace was located in, there had been so many accomplished kimono craftsmen before. Recently they’re vanishing due to some reasons.
I interviewed to Takeo Gujo who is one of craftsmen of “Kyo-yuzen”: traditional dyeing technique established in Kyoto. He says “There are not enough orders for craftsmen these days. Many of other craftsmen had quit job. Even among non-Japanese, there are so many people who want to wear kimono. However most of them wear ink-jet printed kimono without knowing beauty of authentic kimono.” In Kyoto, most of rental kimono shop lend tourists ink-jet kimonos. People wear those kimonos even though they were manufactured in factories in other countries like Vietnam. Adding to that, Mr. Gujo points out kimono’s expensiveness. “I think authentic kimonos are too expensive for people. Huge amounts of intermediate margins for dealers are on kimono’s price. People don’t want to buy such thing these days.” Mr. Gujo says.
He has a pupil now, but he can’t let a pupil experience enough to be a professional craftsman due to this hard situation for kimono craftsmen in Kyoto. He also says “We really want people to know how nice authentic handmade good kimonos are. We must not lose this technique and culture.
This problem deeply connects with our project. Because if you want to hold a Japanese style wedding ceremony, the authentic kimono must be needed. When we conducted a wedding photography plan for a non-Japanese couple, we prepared a authentic handmade kimono and they were happy with it. Check this article.
How Can Craftsmen and Kimono Survive?
Then, how can craftsmen and traditional kimono culture survive? How can people know its beauty?
Mr. Gujo is trying to solve the problem of kimono’s expensiveness. He opened his own website and accepting order directly from clients. People can purchase tailor-made kimono at low price there. That’s why he and his coworkers are still doing their jobs.
In spite of this system, it is not enough, he says. Recently, he thinks that spreading attraction of authentic kimono to the world is important. There was once a client from the UK who wanted to wear “Haori(kimono coat)” at her wedding ceremony. Then, he came up with an idea of aiming at the world.
He says “It is hard to wear kimono correctly for people overseas. Because kimono needs a professional dresser to wear in a formal way. However, Haori doesn’t. Everyone can wear it easily.” He’s planning to spread authentic kimono’s attraction through Haori now.
How is authentic Kimono Nice?
I’ve been written that authentic handmade kimono is good, but how is it nice? authentic handmade kimonos are amazingly beautiful. You can see it if you take a closer look. This is a detailed picture of “Irouchikake” which is like a wedding dress of kimono.
This is a picture of kimono made in Mr. Gujo’s factory using Kyo-yuzen dyeing technique.
Then, how those kimonos are made? Let’s look at Mr. Gujo’s factory’s example. Good handmade kimonos require many accomplished craftsmen to be made.
For instance, this craftsman makes preliminary sketch of design of kimono.
Craftsman of preliminary sketch should master drawing of any kinds of plants and flowers.
This is Mr. Gujo. He is a craftsman of “Kyo-yuzen”: traditional dyeing technique established in Kyoto.
Kyo-yuzen craftsmen should master how to make and adjust thousands of Japanese traditional colors.
This man is a craftsman of gold painting.
Each kimono has its own suitable gold painting. Accomplished craftsmen are able to judge it instantly and properly.
As a result of these amazing work, kimonos are made. In some traditional Japanese family, good kimonos have been inherited for generations as a family treasure.
“Wearing kimono can make your beauty shine more.” Mr. Gujo says.
Although these are just a few examples of craftsmen, now you can see how authentic kimonos are nice.
Conclusion
How was this article? I hope you are now interested in authentic kimono and traditional Japanese culture. Wearing kimono in Kyoto is really good experience for tourists but knowing traditional authentic kimono culture is also nice. How about choosing rental kimono shop with authentic good kimono?
Adding to that, as I said, we’ve been working on a project of spreading “wakon (Japanese wedding culture)” of Kyoto. Taking wedding photography or holding ceremony at Kyoto wearing beautiful kimono will be your golden memory. If you’re interested in wakon, check out other articles at our website.
Thank you for reading!
Mr. Gujo's factory
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