Ryukyu Ai dye studios
Okinawa is a small piece of land between Japan and Taiwan that has had a dense history with massive war devastation in WWII and political conflicts with American military bases. In spite of this and its lower economic ranking within Japan, Okinawa still holds much wealth in its biodiverse forests, surrounding coral reefs, and marine life. Alongside this is a value for the landscape and its craft traditions. I was fortunate to visit three locations that grow, process, and serve as dye services.
Ryukyu Indigo Labo is owned by three individuals and their dye lab is managed by Mr. Shouta Azuma. The lab grows its own indigo crop, Strobilanthes Cusia, in the northern region of the island, processes it into paste, and utilizes the pigment in their studio in Tomigusuku. Processing the crop involves an extensive process of fermenting the indigo until it becomes a paste to be dissolved into a dye vat. Watch the video below, a partnership between Ryukyu Indigo Labo and the Inoue Brothers, to witness the full process.
Dyeing in an indigo vat is unique to most other natural dye practices. The vat itself contains no oxygen and this chemical reaction allows the pigment to bond to the material. Once the material is removed from the vat, the initial color appears as green, and in other types of vats can even appear as bright yellow. Once the material and dye start to receive oxygen, it transmutes from its original green/yellow to blue. In order to achieve darker tones of blue multiple dips are required between short rest periods of oxidation. The featured Huemane Haori was dipped three times for its mid range blue.
The second dye processing site I was able to visit belonged to the Ryukyu Indigo Manufacturing Technology Preservation Society in Motobu, the northern region of the island. The society partners with several other local growers to produce the pigment annually. Mr. Masahito Ikehara manages the functions of the association by working with farmers to process the plants and run workshops throughout the year. The society is sponsored by the Japanese national government as an effort to preserve local craft culture of the region.
Another well known spot for workshops and further exposure to local indigo processing is Aikaze Indigo and Cafe,The studio hosts private workshops and the cafe/store sits on the same property. (This is the only dye studio where the facilitator speaks fluent English, if you’re looking to book a dye session you can reach them by phone or DM through instagram).
I’m grateful to have learned about the proliferation and preservation of this crop and craft that aligns personally with my heritage. Being half Okinawan and growing up on the island from age 8 to 18, I continue to have a deeper appreciation for the natural beauty and culture of the island. Maintaining tradition and a reciprocal relationship with the natural landscape makes Okinawa the unique place that it is. I’ve also written a personal reflection on the process of this project.
