HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Indigo Dyeing
Traditional dyeing techniques that embody the history and tradition of this natural blue dye in Japan
SETOUCHI Tourism Authority
Indigo is one of the world’s oldest forms of dye, with a history of over 1,200 years in Japan. It continues to play a part in modern culture, as the logo of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was the color of indigo. Indigo once had a very martial association in Japan, as the padding beneath warriors’ armor was dyed indigo because of its anti-sweat and medicinal properties. In the Edo period (1603-1867), indigo dye became ubiquitous, and until the mid-20th century, everyone from postal workers to train drivers wore clothes dyed in indigo.
The “Ai no Yakata” is a newly built museum in a house that has survived from the Edo period to convey the history of indigo to the present, including cultivation methods and tools. Here, groups and individual visitors can enjoy a variety of indigo dyeing experiences, creating their own handkerchiefs, towels, or bandanas.
How to get there
Take the train from Shin-Osaka Station to Maiko Station (about 55 minutes), and then take a highway bus to Tokushima Station (about 1 hour and 20 minutes). Tokushima Station is about a 25-minute drive from Tokushima Station.
172 Tokumei Maezunishi, Aizumi-cho, Itano-gun, Tokushima-ken
