The stencils required for Chusen dyeing are "Ise stencils," made using traditional methods, and are carved by experienced stencil engravers while imagining how the finished dyed item will look.

To express the blurred look of the brush strokes, it is necessary to use the blade with the same suppleness as when using a paintbrush. Also, to carve into sharp edges or soft lines, a variety of tools are used.

The warmth of craftsmanship has a huge impact on the finished product. The blade is cut at an angle to allow the dye to penetrate more easily, and the carving is made stronger or weaker depending on the pattern.

The history of chusen dyeing is said to be 100 to 150 years old. Throughout those years, it has hardly been mechanized and has been protected as a traditional handicraft. And chusen dyeing factories have not changed in this way.

The "Wa-zarashi" yukata and tenugui cloths are made on a "narrow loom" that is rare in the world, and are 30cm to 40cm wide. The short ends are woven back and fixed, so the long sides can be left "uncut." This eliminates the need for edge sewing, dries quickly, and expands the possibilities for tenugui that can be cut freely and used as is.

Mix seaweed paste and starch paste appropriately to make "resist dyeing paste" to create areas that will not be dyed in Japanese bleaching.

The finished dye-resistant paste is then applied to a "stencil" on top of the Z-folded Japanese bleached cloth, and the paste is applied with a spatula like a silk screen. This process is done carefully, piece by piece, and is very physically demanding work.

After the base treatment is completed, I carefully apply the above-mentioned "resistance dyeing glue" to each piece of Japanese bleached paper. This process, called itaba, is called ``nori-oki.''

Once the plain bleached fabric has been applied with the glue, the next step is called "Kouya." The colors are poured into the areas that do not have the dye-resistant glue. The tool used is a kettle. This process is why the dye is called "posogi-zome" or "chu-sen."

The kettles, which come in various sizes, are hand tools used by artisans to finely adjust the amount of dye and hot water to create subtle gradations. In recent years, the number of custom-made production factories has decreased due to closures, making them extremely rare.

This scene has remained almost unchanged for decades, with almost no mechanization or efficiency improvements. It is a kind of slow technology. It can be said to be a traditional craft that is purely handmade. This slow technology is the secret behind the unique "softness" and "gentleness" of Chusen dyeing.

The washing process has been mechanized and automated to a small extent. Here, the resist paste and excess dye are removed. Until around 1975, this work was carried out in the river behind the factory. However, to prevent eutrophication of rivers and oceans, it is no longer carried out in the river.

In the first drying process immediately after dyeing, the fabric is hung outside in the wind as much as possible (weather permitting). This was a typical scene at the Chusen factories, of which there were once around 100 in towns all over Japan. This method leaves the fabric lighter and softer to the touch than using a dryer.

After drying, the fabric is rolled up, organized, and cut into individual pieces. At the same time, it is inspected for quality for bleaching and dyeing, and defective products are removed. After that, it goes through a final process of light ironing, folding, obi sashing, and bagging before it is finally shipped as a finished product.

We have put together a 5-minute video of the whole thing. Please watch it here.