Rebranding Arimatsu Narumi Shibori Tie-dying from Germany to Nagoya: Refreshing Traditional Craft Apparel

There are players who are showing new vigor due to transfers and other opportunities. Veteran players who had experience and skills but were stagnating can find their abilities and roles fitting when the environment or coach changes, showcasing their potential. This scenario is happening with Nagoya's traditional tie-dying craft, "Arimatsu Shibori."

The mastermind behind this is Hiroyuki Murase, CEO and Creative Director of Suzusan Co., Ltd.. He is the fifth generation born into a family of a shadow artisan (kategami-e-sumi craftsman) of Arimatsu Shibori, which originated from the Suzan Trading Company founded in the mid-Meiji period. A shadow artisan coordinates the shibori dyeing process.

Arimatsu is a location southeast of Nagoya, which served as a lodging area along the Tokaido during the Edo period. Under the protection of the Owari Domain, the technique of “Arimatsu Shibori” developed, with over 10,000 artisans at its peak.
However, like many traditional crafts in Japan, this shibori technique was also facing decline. Now, it is beginning to shine again in Europe, starting from Düsseldorf in western Germany.

Boredom with Hometown Traditions: A Challenge to London

"Initially, I wasn't interested at all."

As the interview began, Murase stated this right away.

His family consists entirely of people engaged in Arimatsu Shibori. Recognized as the first traditional craft of Aichi Prefecture, this unique and diverse shibori technique seemed boring to Murase.

He didn’t feel inclined to take over the family business and aimed for a fine arts degree at an art university in Tokyo instead.

However, fate had other plans for Murase.

"I didn’t pass. I felt lacking in my abilities during the first round of exams. But after taking a year off, I was so confident that I planned to live in Tokyo right after seeing the acceptance announcement. However, again, I didn’t pass.

"I thought it wasn’t me who was lacking but that Japan’s universities had poor judgement. I resolved to aim for studying abroad while on the night bus back to Nagoya."

The following year, Murase landed at Heathrow Airport in the UK. His submitted portfolio was accepted, and he enrolled at the University of Surrey in southwest London. Thus, Murase distanced himself significantly from Arimatsu.

Experiencing Differences in Values Between Japan & Europe

Society overseas operates on different values than in Japan, and this applies to art universities as well. On the first day of a drawing class at university, Murase realized this immediately.

"There were students who didn’t even know how to sharpen a pencil. That wouldn’t happen at a Japanese art university.

"In Japan, the entrance exams select students based on their drawing skills, so every student is well-trained technically.

"On the other hand, in the UK, creativity is emphasized along with technical skill. Even if a student doesn't know how to sharpen a pencil, they could produce interesting works."

However, his time at Surrey lasted only six months. In addition to living expenses, tuition, especially for foreigners, was high, and the money he saved from part-time work in Japan ran out.

Wanting to stay in Europe, Murase decided to move from the UK to Germany after hearing from a German student in the same dormitory that "German universities do not charge tuition fees."

He chose the Düsseldorf Art Academy, which had connections to contemporary artists that Murase was interested in, such as Gerhard Richter and Joseph Beuys.

"The Düsseldorf Art Academy didn’t charge tuition, but there were also no grades. The teachers didn’t take attendance, and sometimes they didn’t show up. There were even teachers who came only once every six months.

"Graduation was a matter of self-declaring to the teacher, ‘I will graduate.’ If you didn’t self-declare, you could remain a student indefinitely. Some people stayed on for years, almost like professional students."

While it was a flexible environment, it could be tough if you didn’t have a clear idea of what you wanted to do. Yet, there were self-sufficient students who contracted with galleries to sell their work while still in school. "You need the willingness to discover and create something yourself." Murase remained captivated by life in Düsseldorf.

It's been three and a half years since I left Japan. I had not returned even once when I received a call from my father, Hiro.

"We're going to exhibit the Arimatsu Shibori textiles in the UK; could you help us out?"

Far away from Japan in Europe, I was given an unexpected opportunity to reconnect with Arimatsu Shibori, something I had "never been interested in" before.

Growing up surrounded by stacks of fabric at my family home in Arimatsu, I realized that this wasn't a promising industry for the future, and my father never mentioned the idea of continuing the family business.

However, while assisting at the exhibition in the UK, I started to develop new feelings towards Arimatsu Shibori.

"Beautiful"

The fabric that was made at my family home, which I considered outdated, appeared to those from overseas as a product they had never seen before. By moving our base overseas, something that was thought to be in decline in Japan gained new value. Witnessing that moment, I felt a desire to preserve the Arimatsu Shibori industry.

How Can Traditional Crafts Become Marketable?

The path chosen by Murase, who studied art in Düsseldorf, was to establish a brand centered around Arimatsu Shibori.

"Using Arimatsu Shibori in art can increase awareness, but whether that translates to immediate benefits for the artisans in Arimatsu is challenging. There is also the option of receiving OEM orders from other brands."

Due to the striking visual appeal of the Arimatsu Shibori technique, it often appears in collections from different brands but is typically phased out in following seasons.

"If we make Arimatsu Shibori itself the brand concept, demand stabilizes, allowing artisans to continuously receive work."

As of October 26, 2023, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has designated 241 traditional crafts across Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa. Each of these regions is experiencing aging populations and is unable to innovate in production. At the time Murase established the brand, the majority of artisans in Arimatsu were in their 60s to 90s. The absence of the next generation is partly due to a lack of financial resources to hire employees.

"We can hire during the period when government subsidies are available, but we can't sustain that afterwards."

However, at Suzusan, the wages of 27-year-old female employees have exceeded the national average for their age group since two years ago. The purchasing intent of consumers for Arimatsu Shibori was driven by "breezy designs."

"Artisans want to demonstrate how meticulously and patiently they worked on a piece. They say, 'This took three months to make. Impressive, right?'

"While that's indeed impressive, incorporating such designs into everyday life can be challenging due to their strong individuality. The labor-intensive process also drives up costs."

Thus, we changed our approach to manufacturing.

"'Breezy' is a term I learned while attending a preparatory school for art college in Japan. It means to draw objects in a three-dimensional way, as if they are placed in space rather than just drawing them in two dimensions. I applied this concept to our product design.

"While being conscious of the scenery behind our products, like the New York skyline, Italian beaches, or German industrial clubs, I wanted our products at Suzusan to blend seamlessly into those backgrounds."

Being far from Arimatsu, I gained a different perspective on our products.

"While things can continue as they are within Arimatsu, once we step outside the region, traditional Arimatsu Shibori loses relevance. My father has a strong artisan mentality. He possesses perspectives that only someone who has focused on the same thing for a long time might have. I respect that about him."

Differences in experience lead to different viewpoints, which can sometimes create conflict.

"My father often refers to my designs as 'child's play' or claims they'll 'definitely not sell.' At the same time, I counter his views and strive to prove him wrong. The final test of persuasion is whether something sells. When it does, I think to myself as a designer, 'See?'

"Of course, sales are only possible because of the excellent craftsmanship involved, and I believe it's all about balancing design with technique."

The Eye Culture of Europe vs. the Hand Culture of Japan

Murase explains the differences she sees between Japan and Europe as a contrast between "eye culture" and "hand culture."

"Europe is very adept at valuing products, and I've noticed that people there have honed their critical eye. France, in particular, excels at branding, providing Japan with many lessons to learn.

"However, I'm not sure Japan can match the flamboyant shows of a place like France.

"On the other hand, Japan excels at creating intricate and human-centered items through the actual process of crafting them. Europe, by focusing so much on aesthetics, seems to be losing sight of the crucial role of hands in production.

"In contrast, Japan has many hand-crafted items still deeply embedded in everyday life. However, in Germany, for example, the presence of 'made in Germany' in fashion textiles is nearly nonexistent."

In the process of traveling between the two regions, the fifth generation of Suzusan, led by Hiroyuki Murase, has gradually dyed pathways connecting Arimatsu and various parts of the world.

"In the past, when asked 'What kind of company is Suzusan?' I would reply, 'It's an Arimatsu Shibori company.' However, now I think of it as 'a company that serves as a cultural bridge.' It connects East and West, people, as well as the past and future."

Murase himself, who traverses the globe, dislikes the concept of being "global."

"The foundation of Suzusan's business is connecting localities with each other. For 15 years since the brand's establishment in 2008, we have delivered products from Arimatsu to other regions.

"In the next 15 years, I want to create a system where people from those regions can come to Arimatsu and interact with the creators of these products. We aim for a cycle of people moving between this small locality of Arimatsu and the world."

In the illustrated book "東海道名所図会" written by the Edo period's picture book author and haiku poet, Rito Akisato, the scene of Arimatsu during that time is described as follows:

"Famous product, Arimatsu Shibori. Delicately dyed cotton is gracefully shibori-ed and sold in crimson and indigo. (Omitted) It is traded by travelers and merchants from various countries."

Once prospering from the foot traffic of travelers from all over Japan, Arimatsu now aims for transactions and interaction from around the world.