BUAISOU – Indigo Artists/Farmers

Tokushima, Japan has long been well-known for its indigo dying. In the 19th century there were over 2000 dyers and now there are only seven.  BUAISOU is one of these.  Each stage of making an indigo dyed garment is unique and a process in itself.  So much so that in the past, each step was a separate job for an individual or company. BUAISOU as a collective, has managed to integrate every step in-house, from growing the indigo plants to fermenting and dying the fabric; and finally, to design and manufacturing. All these processes are executed while maintaining time-honored traditional methods.

In 2016 and 2019, BUAISOU came to teach a three-week intensive course where students learned about the history of indigo dying and how these garments are created. They then created their own garment from dying the fabric, designing, and then sewing. 

Below is a Short Film Featuring Kakuo Kaji on BUAISOU

Photo Credit: Kyoto Nishimoto, BUAISOU