Tsuji-ga-Hana

A designer of SHINKO STUDIO traveled to Kyoto to look for an inspiration for new jewelry designs. She stopped by a Yuzen Kimono shop and had a rare chance to talk to a workman of Yuzen dyeing. He showed her how Yuzen dyeing was done and samples of the work which at that time was legendary "Tsuji-ga-Hana."

"Tsuji-ga-Hana" is a name of "kosode", an old style kimono, using a special shibori (tie-dye) technique. Tsuji-ga-Hana reached its zenith of popularity in mid-Muromachi era and vanished completely in the early-Edo period.

Flowers and leaves eroded by insects were often used as design elements in Tsuji-ga-Hana. Why did they use those elements? It is assumed that they tried to express the beauty of exquisite moments when life passes into the autumn years.

In the 20th century, the textile master Mr. Itchiku Kubota revived Tsuji-ga-Hana for the modern world. For his great efforts, he was awarded Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettre from the French government in 1990. From November 1995 to April 1996, Master Kubota had a solo exhibition at Smithsonian Museum, the first time for a living Japanese artist.