Have your hands ever been dyed with the color of tie-dye ink? Have you ever seen the progressing of color as it sinks into the fabric? Do you recognize the smell?
Walking past this small shop in the Kuramae section of Asakusa, you are instantly greeted by the smell of fresh herbs and dyeing fabrics. Displayed along the walls and tables, you can find anything from lavender to cherry blossoms. Leaves to dried flowers. Set alongside them are delicate fabrics woven with light almost ethereal color. Scarves, socks, clothes, book covers. Soft to the touch and expertly made. You walk into the tradition of Japanese dyeing and you won’t leave the same as when you came in.
Maito Komuro’s hands are stained with blue from the indigo baths he uses to dye the fabrics in his shop. Behind the perfectly lined rows of delicate fabrics hung across the clothing lines, you find Maito working on his latest product. Maito picks the leaves for making Aizome from right outside the shop which he grows himself and then crushes into a powder for dyeing. Rows of dresses and t-shirts hang drying in the space, the color graduation of Aizome turns from light green blues to dark midnight shades of indigo as he dips everything from used clothing to perfectly stitched hemp fabrics into a tank of dye. Watching the chemicals react to the Aizome and turn from yellow to green to blue, the traditional process dating back centuries can be seen unfolding in front of your very eyes.
Maito in Kuramae is not Asakusa made, but it is Asakusa born. Maito Komuro is originally from Fukuoka prefecture and grew up in a family that specialized in the Japanese natural dyeing process. Having spent his childhood surrounded by the dyeing process, it was only natural for him to continue the family business, but what really drew him to the business was the feeling that the culture of natural dyeing was being lost to modernization and a dangerous trend towards fast fashion. With this in mind, he decided to open an atelier and shop in Kuramae. Guests here can both experience the smells and process of dyeing, as well as purchase and take home an original piece of artwork. With monthly workshops and an online shop as well, not only is his product accessible, but it also allows guests to experience the culture hands on.
Kuramae and the shitamachi have become a creative hub for young professionals in recent years. Not only was this something that appealed to Maito, but he feels as though fate and the community of Asakusa also brought him to this area. While he wasn’t born in old town Tokyo, Maito, like many others, envisions Asakusa as a place to promote and protect cultures that are being lost. The satisfaction of the softness, delicacy, and warmth of hand-dyed fabrics is something that he wants to preserve in the hearts of the Japanese people. Dyeing is an essential aspect of Japanese culture and is a foundation for the beautiful colors that landscape your vision as you observe the artwork and textiles around Japan. Maito hopes that this shop can become his small part in preserving that culture and spreading awareness in his own way.
4-14-12 Kuramae, Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan
OPEN：11:30 – 18:30
CLOSED：Every Monday