Hand-dyed textile maker Masaaki Aoki

Masaaki Aoki, owner of Hand-dyed Meya

This is a new corner where we visit artists' workplaces and ask them about how they got started in creative activities and their thoughts on making things. For the first commemorative episode, we visited Masaaki Aoki, a hand-dyeing craftsman who is pursuing the art of hand-dyeing using traditional Japanese natural dyes.

Aoki's workplace is on the second floor of a renovated 200-year-old Western-style building. The workshop and store that Aoki has run since 2002 is located in Gosho Minami, a popular spot in Kyoto with a tranquil streetscape that mixes long-established stores with new ones.

Climbing a small staircase from the entrance, we found ourselves in a tasteful space where the workshop and shop coexist on one floor. In the work area, a large pot was steaming. The scent of the freshly boiled natural dye was unique, but by no means unpleasant. When I commented, "It's a rather calming smell," Aoki-san smiled and replied, "Thank you," showing his cheerful and friendly personality. He gave us a real talk about his unusual career path, having graduated from the University of Tokyo, before moving on to a major innerwear manufacturer and then to dyeing.

Freshly dyed but with a vintage feel

--You previously worked as a merchandiser for an innerwear manufacturer. How did you first come across hand-dyeing with natural dyes, or so-called plant dyeing?

One product project led me to visit Hirota Masuhisa of the Masuhisa Dyeing and Weaving Research Institute, which specializes in plant dyeing in Nara. At the time, I was a young man of about 27 or 28 with no knowledge of plant dyeing, but Professor Masuhisa was very kind and helpful. The plant dyes I saw there for the first time had exactly the texture and color of the fabric that I loved.

I've always loved the unique texture of vintage clothing, but I always thought it was something that could only be achieved by wearing it out. What's more, as we talked, he asked me if I wanted to try it, and that very same day, I was able to try dyeing it myself. I was so surprised that plant dyeing was my favorite type of dye, and that I was able to do it with my own hands. I was also drawn to Masuhisa's personality, and before long, I started visiting him whenever I had the chance.

Madder, Chinese gallnut, bayberry, betel nut... the parts containing the pigments of each plant are dried to make dyes. It's amazing how unexpected colors can appear.


The dyes are made from dried plant roots, bark, and fruits, and then boiled to extract the pigments. The steamy workshop resembles a kitchen.

After boiling the dye, strain it through a cloth to make the dye solution.

--So that's when you became absorbed in dyeing?

No, it wasn't anything like that, I was just tired of my job at the company and thought I'd have fun working for Masuhisa, who I really liked, so I was just running away (laughs). Of course, I was interested in dyeing techniques, but I hadn't thought about making it my career.

Fortunately, after joining the company, I was able to use my know-how to take charge of the IT implementation of the dyeing and weaving research lab, while also being able to strike a good balance by learning about dyeing. In this environment, Maeda Ujo often comes up as a teacher that Masuhisa admires.

--A master revered by his master? That sounds amazing.

According to Masuhisa, "Mr. Maeda Ujo is the only person in Japan who can perform ancient dyeing." He also said, "There are two types of dyeing in the world. One is Maeda Ujo's dyeing, and the other is everything else."...Isn't that just like, "What's that?" (laughs). I know that sounds amazing, but President, isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? (laughs).

Even so, I was told, "You'll understand when you see it." By chance, three months after I joined the company, I was able to go and help out at Professor Amagi's solo exhibition in Kurume.

The impact of seeing color for the first time changed my life

Aoki dyeing with dye made from boiled plants. It takes three full days of work, starting with boiling the dye, to complete the process.

--That was lucky. What did you think when you actually saw it?

I'm sorry if this sounds like an exaggeration, but I feel like the way I see color changed from that day onwards.

People often say that it's best to give the best things to children who know nothing. I think that amazing objects have the power to create sensors in the people they interact with, or to make them aware of sensors they weren't aware of.

I liken it to music, because I love it. Whether it's classical or rock, it's usually when you hear an amazing sound that you realize something you didn't notice before. For example, someone who doesn't yet understand what is amazing and how amazing it is probably won't be able to tell the difference between the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic.

But when you first hear the Berlin Philharmonic and it hits you hard, you suddenly start to understand what is simply a mass of sound.

That's because it was created by amazing people who could hear it to begin with, and the contrast between various factors is clear, making it easy to understand.

"Colors and Dyeing in Ancient Japan" (left) and "Colors - Dyeing and Colors" (right) are works by ancient dyeing researcher Maeda Ujo. Through deciphering documents related to ancient dyeing, traditional colors, and culture, such as the Engishiki, these books provide detailed descriptions of ancient dyeing recipes. Maeda Ujo, an ancient dyeing researcher whom Aoki still respects, passed away in 2013.


Maeda Ujo's books do not include printed color samples, as he believes that people's perception of color varies, colors change depending on the lighting conditions, and that it is impossible to objectively express colors in print, where colors vary depending on the edition.
The first edition of "Colors and Dyes in Ancient Japan" includes three color samples as an appendix: "Kouro" (top color sample), "Aoshiro no Tsurubami" (also known as "Kikujin"; middle color sample), and "Momozome" (bottom color sample), which were actually dyed by Maeda Ujo on silk fabrics from Tango, Kyoto.

─Maeda Uki's work was exactly that "color" version.

Yes, it hit me hard. For example, deep purple gives you a sense of depth that you can't reach even if you try, and it takes away your sense of perspective. The dull reddish-purple of deep crimson is the color of venous blood and smells like iron, while karakurenai is bright red and feels like it would burn you if you touched it... these are colors that create synesthesia.

Furthermore, koji dust is dyed using the complementary colors of yellow and purple, and although it is originally grey, it is dyed over 10 times, giving it a high level of colour rendering, and the colour changes dramatically depending on the light source: a deep grey in the morning, a beautiful green in the daytime, and a reddish beige when viewed by candlelight at night.

Every single piece was like that, and it was a constant source of amazement. I even started to cry as I looked at them. Since then, I've started saying, "There are two types of dyeing in the world. One is Maeda Ujo's dyeing, and the other is everything else" (laughs).

─By the way, have you had any other experiences like that in your life so far?

I think it was when I first heard Led Zeppelin in my first year of high school. At the time, I thought, "Wow, this is so cool," and I had goosebumps from the first note until I finished listening to the album. Since then, the way I listen to rock has changed, but this experience of Amagi's colors was even more shocking than that.

This is a bit off topic from the main topic of the interview, but Aoki says, "I get bored easily, but the only things that keep me going are dyeing and music." The band "Aoi Mahoroba," which he formed with a colleague from his days as an office worker, celebrated its 24th anniversary in 2016 and continues to perform live. Aoki is the vocalist. (April 6, 2016, at Kyoto's live house "Shutoku")

--It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that changed the rest of your life.

Until then, I had no complaints or doubts about making a living by helping Masuku-san, but when I saw Amashiro-sensei dyeing with my own eyes, I simply wanted to try dyeing in such amazing colors, and I clearly felt that I wanted to run my own dye shop.

Of course, I was still in the early stages of learning, so my life didn't change immediately. But as I continued to learn and work on dyeing, I began to want to try new things, and I began to want my own dyeing space where I could work without hesitation.

So in 2002, once the system construction for the research institute was complete and I was able to take over, I got Masuhisa's approval and decided to go independent.

I only make things that I like.

The range has grown from eight colors at the start to 14 colors today.

─After deciding on the location, you opened after a three-month preparation period. What thoughts did you put into creating the products, such as the items and colors?

Ultimately, I want to dye colors like Professor Amagi's, but first I have to think about how to use the skills I've cultivated to make a product. I thought that a T-shirt would be the perfect item to hold in your hand and enjoy color, and enjoy fashion. Because it's simple and the colors are the easiest to see, I think it's a kind of "clear soup" that most clearly shows my knowledge, skills, and experience.

I started by making many prototypes while preparing for the store opening, and chose eight colors based on my preferences: colors that I liked, colors that could be produced within a standardized cost, and colors that were highly durable.

I couldn't find any ready-made designs that I liked, so I decided to start from the sewing stage. Even after opening the store, I continued to experiment with everything from the selection of materials to the weaving and sewing of the fabric to make products that I was more satisfied with. I think I started to settle down around the third year. To be honest, the quality is completely different now than it was at the beginning, and when I look at it now, I feel bad.

The organic cotton used to make the fabric for Tezomeya's T-shirts is a good match for organic cotton and natural dyes, and they dye well. Tezomeya's T-shirts are made using fabric that is knitted softly on a "loop-wheel" machine, which puts as little strain on the yarn as possible.

─What is the design policy that you adhere to?

I especially like military designs and other designs that have a function in their design. Originally, all designs had to have some kind of function, and this is an area where I agree with Hayao Miyazaki...don't you think guns and fighter planes are cool?

Everything has a functional meaning, like why tank caterpillars are shaped like that, and there's absolutely nothing wasted. I think that's what makes something cool, so I don't try my hand at designs that I can't relate to.

Call me naive, but I create products that are self-consistent and seek out customers who are similar to me. I believe this is the way that even someone who is no expert in marketing can make a living by creating things.

Thankfully, people who were looking for functional beauty in the same genre responded, so I think that's why I've been able to continue until now.

In addition to their main product line of T-shirts, Tezomeya's items also range to include scarves and bottoms.

-- As you mentioned earlier about "clear soup," one of the appealing features of this product is that the richness of its colors is conveyed directly thanks to its simple, functional design.

Initially, I wanted to aim for a "MUJI" brand of plant-dyed products. MUJI products are not strangely designed and maintain a reasonable level of quality. In the end, people choose MUJI because they think, "Is MUJI good enough?"

But going full circle means you have to be extremely skilled, know everything from every angle, and be aware of what people find strange in every genre. I gave up on the idea because I knew it wasn't something I could easily aim for.

However, I think that in some genres this does happen as a result, and it makes me really happy when people sometimes say to me, "There's nothing strange about the design here."

--What are your thoughts on future developments?

I think that the vintage feel of Tesomemeya's products makes them a perfect fit for the category of slow fashion, which is about enjoying high-quality clothing for a long time.

Since this is an American-led movement, we're thinking of ways to gain recognition there. We'd like to hold an exhibition and sale locally and aim to spread the word on Facebook and Instagram, so that we can disseminate information that isn't mass-produced or fake. I don't think the appeal of plant dyeing is well known at the moment. The overall volume as a fashion category is still insufficient. I'd like to see more people step forward to create plant-dyed fabric products, not just clothing.

To ensure that the staff can dye the fabric in the same color, the process is recorded in detail in a notebook. As of April 2016, there were more than 50 copies of this "Someme Notebook."

--So you will continue to explore the world of color, which was your gateway to this world.

Natural dyes are said to have been refined from the techniques used in court dyeing and established during the Heian period. However, the techniques fell into disuse during the samurai era. Only the recipes remain, barely, in a book called "Engishiki," and all those who work with plant dyes use this as a basis.

However, since the method is not written down at all, we can only infer from the amounts and materials, and there is no correct answer. In the end, Professor Amagi's dyeing is not original, but rather he dyed it as faithfully as possible to the Engishiki within his own imagination.

I was gently killed by that color, but I'm not aiming to achieve the same color using the same approach. It's more likely that it will happen as a result of thoroughly researching it and pouring all of my experience and skills into it.

I'm still in the process of deciphering the literature, but it's incredibly fascinating. I've noticed a lot of things while reading the literature, and some of them can be applied to dyeing T-shirts, so I'd like to continue this as my life's work.

--Today, through your talk, Mr. Aoki, I was able to learn once again about the appeal of plant dyeing. Thank you very much.

Aoki-san spoke without pretense or pretense, always choosing words that perfectly evoked his feelings. I felt that his own thoughts were clearly reflected in Tezomeya's vague yet carefully calculated colors, and simple yet functional designs. Each item, created with love and sincerity in its creation, is sure to create a natural attachment in the person who holds it.

Profile of Masaaki Aoki, Owner of Tesomemeya

1967	Born in Mie Prefecture, raised in Tokyo
1991	Graduated from the Department of Insurance, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo Joined Wacoal Corporation and moved to Kyoto
1995	Through product planning, we began working with the Masuku Dyeing and Weaving Research Institute, headed by Masuku Hirota.
2000	He left Wacoal Corp. and studied yarn dyeing with natural dyes at the Masuku Dyeing and Weaving Research Institute. He helped out at a solo exhibition by Maeda Ujo, a master of ancient dyeing techniques, and was deeply impressed by his work.
2002	After working at Masuku Dyeing and Weaving Research Institute for 1 year and 9 months, he became independent. "Tesomemeya" opens in Kyoto City.
2009	He became a part-time lecturer at the Department of Fine Arts and Crafts at Kyoto University of Art and Design.
2014	He also serves as a part-time lecturer at the Department of Historical Heritage at Kyoto University of Art and Design.