Mitsumasa, Kurume Kasuri Artisan
“I’m doing a job that’s been going on for over 200 years, and I’ve been continuing the job in the same exact way it has been practiced for over 200 years.”
Situated in the south of Fukuoka Prefecture, the agricultural region of Chikugo is nurtured by the Chikugo River, the largest in Kyushu. As one of the production regions of Kurume-style kasuri, Chikugo supplies all the natural resources necessary to support the creation of the kasuri renowned for its beautifully dyed and woven designs.
The practice and production of Kurume-style kasuri began 200 years ago and has continued to this day, with the origin stemming from a young Edo-era girl named Inoue Den, who, upon noticing a spotted pattern in an old piece of clothing, came up with the idea of dying string with indigo and then weaving in patterns.
Mitsumasa-san continues utilizing these two-centuries-old techniques at his family’s workshop. Though keeping the production methods unchanged since their advent, Mitsumasa-san and his family have sought ways to modernize their craft, bringing tradition to present-day fashion.
Deeper Japan spoke with Mitsumasa-san to learn more about the journey and evolution of Kurume-style kasuri in his fourth-generation family business.
Q. Could you tell us a little bit about this workshop and the characteristics of the kasuri in this area?
A: My grandfather started this kasuri workshop in 1919. He had previously moved to this area from Kurume City, originally as an apprentice to a kasuri maker, but then decided to start his own business. That was the beginning of our family's story.
The reason my grandfather picked here to start his career as an artisan was because of a policy set by the Kurume domain, which filled the center of the region with commercial wholesale trading companies. The surrounding regions then turned to manufacturing kasuri as their main source of work during the farming off-season, resulting in a lot of experienced weavers clustering in this area.
Japan once had many different areas producing kasuri textiles, with Kurume-gasuri, Bingo-gasuri, and Iyo-gasuri being the most well-known. Once called the three great production regions for kasuri, only Kurume-style kasuri remains. Iyo-gasuri has disappeared, and while there's one Bingo-gasuri place left, they don't really make kasuri anymore.
It's challenging. Kasuri is an art that requires a lot of effort and technical skills from its craftspeople. And while professional craftspeople still remain, keeping the craft alive, circumstances are tough and most people are barely making ends meet. That's the present situation, tough though it is.
Q: Could you tell us a little bit about why you are doing what you are doing now and your current goals as a kasuri producer? I understand that your son has joined you and you have a successor for your workshop, but what kind of challenges do you want to take on in the future?
A: Well, after I graduated from school, I decided on my own to work in the family business. Since I'm the eldest son, I'd always assumed I would be enter the family business, so it was a natural choice to begin working at the workshop. So, there wasn’t really a strong reason why I started. That’s just it.
And now it's been 50 years since I started working in the family business. To be honest, I didn’t spend those years just watching; I encountered many hardships along the way. But now I have a successor, and so, it makes me feel as though we’ve managed somehow.
However, when I first started working, there were 120 kasuri shops, or 120 members of the kasuri association. And now there are only 20. Actually, there are only 15. The numbers have dropped significantly, but these 15 have found successors, so you can tell that everyone is working very hard to preserve the craft. That's why I think we're still in good shape, that we can still keep going.
When I started working, it was at a turning point in kasuri production. Up until then, we had woven bolts of fabric, sold them to fabric wholesalers, and then those were distributed across the country. That was how our products were circulated. And these materials are what were made into kimono. But when I joined the business, no one was wearing kimono anymore. It was at this moment, we realized that even if we continued to make kimonos like this, this production of kasuri was going to vanish. And so, we decided to make clothes and bags. And with all that happening, that was the turning point. And by doing so, even though other production centers were rapidly disappearing, Kurume has somehow managed to survive.
COVID-19 was also a turning point in our product distribution. The wholesalers in Kurume couldn’t buy up all the goods, since all the shops were closed. I knew we had to do something about this, so I talked with my son and we decided to go out and sell the our products ourselves. We went to department stores and such, and turned our attention to selling Kurume-gasuri.
At first, when we tried to sell our products on our own, people looked at us with disapproval, since up until then, it was the job of the association to sell our wares to department stores. However, the wholesalers no longer have enough power. If they managed to buy everything themselves... I mean, I could say a lot of things about that. But since they couldn't buy everything, it became left to each family to figure out what to do. Kurume is gradually changing in the direction of being independent and working hard on your own.
On the contrary, I think it was for the best. In the end, it's our responsibility. So, we took it upon ourselves to talk directly with the customers and understand what our customers want and what they need. By doing so, we know what we should place more value on. And that's how we have arrived at the present.
Q: When visitors from overseas come to your workshop, what do you want them to see and experience? As a creator, could you share some of your thoughts?
A: For me, this work is the norm. And that in itself is a rare thing. I'm doing a job that's been going on for over 200 years, and I’ve been continuing the job in the same exact way it has been practiced for over 200 years. So, if they could just see this work, I think that’s all that matters.
And finally, I hope each person who views kasuri has a different reception to it. For example, there are people who like weaving, and there are people who like indigo dyeing; there are people from all walks of life who will bring different reactions to kasuri.
Looking to share the time-worn craft and techniques of Kurume-style kasuri with any curious folk, Ikeda-san warmly invites all guests to experience the meticulous process of producing the beautifully dyed and woven kasuri fabrics.
Join Mitsumasa-san on a tour through the Kasuri workshop and learn all about the fabric-making process from dyeing to weaving, while observing weavers and dyers at work. Then, try your hand at dyeing a piece of Kasuri-style textile using traditional dyeing techniques.
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