Gallery Higashihama: Presenting the Value of Ako Dantsu

Please tell us about the background of your founding first.

Higashihama Ako Dantsu Gallery & Studio (referred to as Gallery Higashihama) was established in 2016 to produce and sell Ako Dantsu.

In this region, Ako Dantsu has long been crafted, and my grandmother was an active weaver of Ako Dantsu.
However, as time passed, Ako Dantsu began to decline, and despite my grandmother's efforts to continue her weaving enterprise, she couldn't overcome the worsening circumstances, and eventually, the operation had to be shut down. As a result, only one person from her workshop remained.

Afterward, Kirie Sakaguchi, who was that surviving craftsman, taught the method of making Ako Dantsu in a course held by Ako City, and it was embraced by the disciples who continue to craft it individually.

I learned the techniques from professor Yukari Yanagida, one of those disciples, and continued preserving and passing on the value of Ako Dantsu through my work with Higashihama. In 2016, I opened a gallery and workshop for Ako Dantsu, starting my activities.

The unique patterns of Ako Dantsu, many of which are auspicious designs called kikkou-mon, are a distinct feature. These traditional patterns are cherished by Gallery Higashihama.