Japanese Indigo, a Living Tradition

Ai no Yakata, located in the former mansion of a Tokushima indigo merchant (left), offers visitors a hands-on experience in traditional aizome textile dyeing (right).

Cobalt-blue bubbles rise to the surface of the dyeing solution.

A handkerchief is prepared for shibori tie-dyeing with the aid of rubber bands, chopsticks and other objects (left). The item is dipped in the dye solution until it takes on the desired shade of indigo, and the rubber bands are removed (right).

My finished aizome handkerchief waves in the breeze against the Tokushima sky.