Preserving the Traditional Art of Kimono Decoration

December 2019

Tamayo Samejima and Masanobu Ota are among the artists who practice and preserve traditional methods of painting and dyeing kimonos.

The art of decorating kimonos dates from at least the 14th century, and grew in popularity during the Edo period (1603-1868). Wealthy merchants commissioned artists to paint directly onto kimonos, while resist-dyeing techniques emerged as practical alternatives for Japanese citizens who could not afford hand-painted kimonos. The traditional yūzen dyeing process (named for painter Miyazaki Yuzen Sai, who developed it) uses stencils and starch to transfer designs onto kimonos, while the more dramatic kakiage yūzen process (also called musen yūzen) involves painting without stencils or starch, and leaves no room for error. Hand-painted kimonos are valued as art objects - a kimono hand-painted by renowned artist Korin Ogata is designated as a national treasure of Japan - yet the discipline of kakiage yūzen has waned in popularity.

Tamayo Samejima (left) paints a crane on a kimono.

Sumi-e ink painter Tamayo Samejima is among the artists who keep this craft alive. Her preferred canvas is a white kimono, and her artistic practice is inspired by the ink-blurring techniques of Kaō, a Japanese Zen monk painter of the 14th century, whose work made notable use of light and shade.

Masanobu Ota is another artist who preserves traditional kimono decorative arts. He practices Kaga-yūzen, a resist-dyeing technique that originated in Kaga Province (now part of Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture); unlike other regional yūzen genres (including Kyo-yūzen and Edo-yūzen), Kama-yūzen is characterized by its realistic shading and five-color palette, and often features an imperfect leaf (called a mushi-kui) which represents the transience of nature. Ota draws inspiration from transcendent natural views and phenomena (mountainous terrain, the change of seasons) and has also applied Kaga-yūzen to other items, most notably including sneakers.

Learn about the design history of kimonos via Tokyo Weekender, learn how Samejima paints kimonos via Nikkei Asian Review, and learn about Ota's Kama-yūzen dyeing via The Japan Times.