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To Japan With Love: The Art of Kimono Making

16 March 2011

In light of what has happened in Japan, we thought we would go back to some photos from Robin`s Japan trip back in December/January and show you the ancient process of kimono making.  A truly unique art that speaks to Japan`s beauty and tradition.

A kimono is a traditional Japanese garment and can be traced back to the 5th century.  Today, they are mostly worn for special occasions and, unfortunately, they are being mass produced.  The art of hand-making kimonos, however, is still a well-recognized art, but it is a dying one, which was why I was so lucky to visit a kimono-making studio when I was in Japan a few months ago.

Fortunately, my father`s cousin owns his own kimono-making business, so I got a behind-the-scenes look at how they are made.





These men are so talented and have been in the family business for decades.











They showed me the process of how the fabric was dyed, sketched-on and then hand painted.  The colours blew my mind and the artistic talent and precision these men had was astounding.

All of the kimonos here are custom-made, hand-dyed and hand-painted, which makes the price tag a lot higher than the ones that are mass-produced, but they are so worth it.

It was such a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will always cherish, especially because of the recent devastation that the Japanese people are facing right now.

If you would like to help with the aid efforts in Japan, please visit the Canadian Red Cross.  They have the teams and resources needed to help, but are in need of cash donations.  Please click here to donate.

- Robin and the rest of the Pistil Team

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