This Spring (or Autumn, depending on where you are!), I went back to Japan for two weeks — my fourth time there. The first was 20 years ago, on my honeymoon. This time, it was a family trip... with a twist. I had a mission: to dive into Japanese craftsmanship and finally understand the magic behind that incredible deep blue — Aizome.
As you might’ve guessed by now, I’m totally obsessed with blue. It’s in my name — Blule — a mix of blue and all the light, dreamy things I try to express in my paintings. I also play with cyanotype, a natural photographic process that uses negative space and results in... yep, more blue.
So when we stumbled across Aizome shops in Tokyo and Kyoto, I was like a kid in a sweet shop. Most of them were tiny places tucked away from the crowds, run by older artisans who were more than happy to share their knowledge — with big smiles and lots of gestures. My favourite was a little gem in Tokyo called Wanariya.
I didn’t book a workshop (rookie mistake), but the owner generously walked me through the whole process, pointing at fabrics, bubbling dye baths, and tools — all in Japanese, with a sprinkle of English. Somehow, I understood everything. Blue speaks a universal language, I guess.
At one point I naively asked, “Do you sell Aizome kits to do at home?” Let’s just say, his gentle laugh said it all.
To really appreciate the craft, here’s a quick (but amazing) crash course in Aizome — Japan’s traditional indigo dyeing technique that’s been around for over 800 years:
💙 It all starts with Persicaria tinctoria, a plant used to create a natural indigo dye.
💙 The leaves are grown for five months, then picked and fermented for about three months to produce something called sukumo — the key to that rich blue.
💙 The quality of the sukumo determines how vivid the final colour will be.
💙 Then comes the magic: a centuries-old process called lye fermentation. Artisans mix the sukumo with wood ash, sake, and wheat bran to create a high-pH bath that activates special microorganisms. This transforms the paste into a deep, stable dye.
💙 The dye penetrates the fabric deeply, making it super durable, antibacterial, and — bonus — it keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter.
Standing there, watching those indigo baths, I felt such awe and gratitude. The kindness of the man who explained it all to me will stay with me.
And look at his hands and nails! 😳
Of course, I left with a few treasures — including a beautiful kakemono that will hangs in my studio.
Every time I'll look at it, it will surely brings me back to that quiet shop and the blue that stole my heart (again).