Colors of Niigata

Colors of Niigata 新潟の色, the famous colors of Niigata are thought to have been from the colors of the snowy fields and sun-bleaching would bring out bright colors that would be part of its landscape and history of the city as well as its color-dyeing artisans. There are various ways to reproduce the colors of Niigata with various approaches as an artist sees it through their vision with the process timing, dyeing process, color choice, and its composition. When most people think of colors of Niigata they associate it with things like rice fields, agriculture, lush greenery, mountain shades, summer vegetables, snow country, and sunsets or even salmon. This makes the most popular colors: green, white, orange, yellow, blue, light blue, teal, golden yellow, yellow green, brown, and red.

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Plant-dyeing, the importance is that technique of the person dyeing the colors into a thread, the length of time the thread is in the color dye, and the artist's experience with the plants have a single chance to change together through the extracts. Niigata seeds, Niigata flowers, and Niigata plants that can be used for dye can be dipped and it takes on a color of the dye and the process gets deeper with each dip, but depending on the humidity, and the time the dye ingredients were picked or collected make a difference in the shading of color. A unique feature of the colors is thanks to the abundant soft water made from melted snow that is used for dyeing that adds to its unique look. Sometimes when the threads are laid out in the snow and sun-bleached the colors that can often come out the best are snow like pastel colors.

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Colors Around Niigata, In Echizenhama, Nishikan Ward, there is a workshop called “Hamago” that was started by Yasuhiro Hoshino who started out with the plant Yellowfin to make a color to dye a Tenugui Towel.  Products that use such dyes create coasters, placemats, aprons, and more. Hoshino experiments with plants and always is learning and many older textile establishments swear that always learning and changing is the best sort of practice to understanding dyes. He tried to study resources that had a Dye Encyclopedia with examples, but there isn’t much other than the Niigata Prefectural Botanical Garden to study for something regional. As many others the local sourcing of dye ingredients is crucial in getting a Niigata Color. For more info: https://things-niigata.jp/other/hamago/ 

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Colors of the Snow

“tradition is a continuation of innovation” -Harayama Nagahira Shoten

Snow Country Colors, the colors that have been closely connected to the climate, lifestyle, and people of Niigata has been from vivid colors that are created with the snow. Two particular styles have been passed down since ancient times: “Uetsunafu” and “Echigo Jofu” that are made by the mountain and snow itself through Niigata’s nature, materials, and traditions.

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The History of Niigatas colors can be traced back to the History of Dyeing in Niigata. The dyeing process has been since ancient times with textile impressions unearthed from the 500s AD. The main production areas that have established their particular Regional Niigata Colors are: Tokamachi (Echigo Chijimi. Tokamachi- Akashi Chijimi 1888. Tokamachi Kasuri), Mitsuke (1930. Mitsuke Yuki- Snow Fabric), Tochio, (500 AD. Cocoon Silk Fabric), Ojiya, Gosen, Shiozawa, and Muramatsu.

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Agano City: Echigo Kame Konya Fujioka Dyeing Factory (Echigo Turtle Indigo Dyeing Shop)
Mizuhara Town in Agano City, Edo period, Kan'en 1748. In May 2022, the “Chusen technique” was certified as a traditional craft of Niigata Prefecture as “Echigo Honzome Chusen Tenugui” 越後本染注染手拭. The dyeing technique called chusen is mainly used for hand towels and is said to have been established in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, Edo period, and spread throughout the country by pattern makers. The technique was used by the dyeing company in Agano city since 1914.  

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Kame Konya https://kamekonya.com/
Harayama Chohei https://harayama-chohei.com/about
Takumi Craft https://takumicraft.com/?p=7522