Northern Japan Textile Tour Recap: Indigo, Sashiko, Kogin and More
One of my favorite things about Japan is that textiles are everywhere. We saw textiles in everything from clothes to walls, shop windows, and packaging (furoshiki, Japanese wrapping cloth). The attention to detail was incredible, with plenty of places where a normal person might keep walking, but a textile person has to stop and take a picture.
Our Northern Japan Textile Tour had a lot of those moments. This was not a regular sightseeing trip with one token craft project thrown in so we could call it a textile tour. We dyed, stitched, wove, painted, appliqued, asked questions, and learned from people who are still practicing these amazing traditions. Every workshop showed us something different, and every stop reminded us how many textile traditions Japan has beyond what most of us usually think of.
For quilters, sewists, and anyone who gets excited about textiles, Northern Japan was dangerous in the best possible way. There was inspiration everywhere, and yes, probably a few things that somehow made it into my suitcases.
Tsugaru Natural Indigo Dyeing Workshop
One of our first hands-on experiences was a Tsugaru natural indigo dyeing workshop. Indigo is one of those things that never gets old. You can see photos of it and buy fabric dyed with it, but there is nothing quite like putting your own cloth into the dye vat and watching the color change.
The fabric did not come out looking finished right away. It has to oxidize first. As it hits the air, the color shifts and deepens. We got to experiment with resist techniques and see how folding, tying, and dipping changed the final piece.
Some pieces came out bold and graphic. Others were softer and more subtle. And because indigo has a mind of its own, no two pieces were exactly alike.
Which is also a nice reminder that we cannot control everything. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.
Kogin Embroidery Workshop
The kogin embroidery workshop gave us a chance to try a traditional counted thread embroidery from the Tsugaru region. (Think counted cross stitch on steroids.)
Kogin was originally used to reinforce and warm fabric, but like so many practical textile techniques, it became beautiful too. That is one of the things I love about Japanese textiles. So many traditions started with everyday needs, then function and beauty got all tangled together.
The stitching looked clean and geometric, but it took lots concentration. Counting threads sounds simple until you lose your place and have to figure out where things went sideways. Not that any of us would ever do that. (There’s a reason I don’t do counted cross stitch LOL.)
Sakiori Cloth Making Experience
The first weaving workshop was Sakiori cloth making. I’m not a weaver, but I really loved all the weaving workshops. This one in particular. The process uses old scrabs of kimono’s and other textiles and repurposes them into new cloth. The epitome of reduce, reuse, recycle.
We all have scraps. We all have leftover pieces. We all have fabric we cannot throw away because “there is still enough there for something.” Sakiori proved that something can be pretty amazing.
It was fascinating to see old cloth turned into something completely new. The process made me look at fabric differently, not just as yardage to cut and sew, but as material that can be transformed again.
Geothermal Dyeing
Geothermal dyeing was one of the more unusual workshops on the tour. This was not your average dye pot in a studio. The process used natural heat and minerals from the earth, which made the whole experience feel closely tied to the place we were visiting.
That was what made it so interesting. The color your cloth turn was entirely dependent on the minerals in the water on any particular day. You could use the exact same dye mix and get a completely different result on any given day.
For makers, that kind of process is fascinating because you never know what you are going to create. Each days creations are totally dependent on the days temperature, humidity, basic/acidic properties of the natural springs etc.
Also, apparently there is always another textile rabbit hole to fall into.
Applique With My Friend Sachiko
One of the most personal parts of the trip was learning hand applique with my friend Sachiko.
Applique is familiar territory for a lot of quilters, but getting a chance to learn from one of the best hand appliquers in the world is a real treat. Sachiko shared her secrets on how she auditions fabrics, makes her smooth bias strips and more. All those little decisions that make a project something incredible.
The nice thing about applique is that it can be simple or complicated, traditional or modern, planned or a little more “let’s see what happens.”
Those of you that know me, know that I don’t hand sew anything. That being said I still learned a lot watching her that I can adapt to my own machine applique techniques. You don’t always need a brand-new skill. You just need a new way to look at one you already use.
We even got to be in the local newspaper!
Shinaori Weaving
Shinaori weaving gave us a real appreciation for how much work can go into cloth before it ever reaches our cutting tables. Although the finished product is more suited for stiffer projects like hats, or bags, it was fascinating to see all process that went into making even a single strand to use for weaving.
Shinaori is made from fibers taken from the inner bark of the shina (linden) tree. The preparation is a huge part of the process, and seeing that made the finished product feel even more special.
As quilters, we are usually focused on fabric after it is already fabric. We buy it, press it, cut it, sew it, quilt it, and occasionally move it from one pile to another while calling that organizing. Shinaori reminded us that cloth has a whole life before we ever use it.
Ojiya Chijimi and Kasuri Weaving
Learning about Ojiya chijimi and kasuri weaving gave us another look at Japan’s incredible weaving traditions.
Ojiya chijimi is known for its lightweight, textured cloth. Kasuri creates pattern through resist-dyed threads before the fabric is woven. If you have ever struggled to line up a quilt block, imagine planning the pattern before the cloth even exists.
That is a whole different level of precision.
Seeing kasuri weaving made us appreciate how much planning goes into woven design. The pattern is not added afterward. It is built into the structure of the fabric.
For me, that was fascinating. I usually create pattern by cutting fabric apart and sewing it back together. Kasuri creates pattern before the cloth is even finished.
It was a good reminder that there are many ways to build design into fabric.
Yuzen Painting
The yuzen painting workshop gave us a chance to try yet another very different Japanese textile tradition.
Yuzen is often associated with kimono decoration and can include beautiful painted designs, flowing lines, and detailed color work. Even in a small workshop setting, it gave us a better appreciation for the skill involved.
Painting on fabric is not the same as painting on paper. The cloth moves, the color behaves differently, and the design has to work with the surface.
For quilters and sewists, it opened up all kinds of ideas. Painted fabric could become part of an art quilt, a label, a bag, a garment, or a special project.
It was another reminder that Japanese textiles are not one thing. They include dyeing, stitching, weaving, painting, embellishing, and plenty of techniques that make me want to clear off my worktable when you get home.
Temari Ball Workshop
Our temari ball workshop was a completely different kind of textile experience.
Temari balls are decorative embroidered balls made with wrapped and stitched thread. They are colorful, geometric, and much more precise than they first appear.
This was one of those workshops where you could almost see the quilter brains turning on. Geometry, spacing, repeats, color placement, symmetry: yes, please.
Of course, like many traditional techniques, temari looked simple until I tried to make everything line up nicely. Then I had a whole new appreciation for the people who make it look effortless.
The workshop was a fun mix of color, handwork, and patience (not something I have a lot of LOL). It also gave us a small finished piece to bring home, which was appreciated since the suitcase situation was already getting questionable.
Traveling With Other Makers Made It Better
Another big part of the fun was traveling with other textile people. Quilters and sewists notice things other travelers might miss. Someone spots the stitching. Someone notices the fabric in a shop window. Someone else is looking at how a bag is constructed. Another person is already trying to figure out how to turn a workshop sample into a quilt block. And there is always at least one person doing mental suitcase math.
Being with a group of makers made the whole trip more interesting. We shared ideas, compared workshop results, asked questions, and pointed out details to each other along the way. That is one of my favorite parts of leading textile tours. It is not just about the places we visit. It is about seeing those places with people who understand why a piece of fabric, a stitched line, or a dye sample can be exciting and doesn’t judge when you want to photograph a tile block in a bathroom for inspiration. (Not that that’s ever happened before.)
What We Brought Home
By the end of the tour, we brought home more than souvenirs. We brought home samples, stitched pieces, dyed fabric, photos, notes, new ideas, and a much better appreciation for the variety of textiles in Northern Japan. We also brought home stories from the people we met and the places we visited. And yes, probably some fabric. Possibly more than planned. But that is part of the fun.
The best part is that these experiences do not stay in Japan. They come home with us. They show up later in our quilts, bags, garments, stitching, color choices, and the way we look at the fabric already sitting in our sewing rooms.
That is what textile travel does. It changes what you notice, and then it changes what you make.
Come Travel With Me
If you love textiles, workshops, and travel that goes deeper than standard sightseeing, I would love to have you join me on a future tour. My textile tours are designed for quilters, sewists, and creative travelers who want to see beautiful places, meet makers, learn traditional techniques, and come home with ideas they can actually use in their own work.
Upcoming tours include more hands-on workshops, textile visits, local makers, and plenty of creative inspiration. Japan was an incredible adventure, but there are always more textiles to discover, more makers to meet, and more places to explore.
Check out the upcoming tour schedule and see where we are headed next. Your next textile adventure might be waiting.
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Hi, Kris. I may be looking for a textile tour in Japan in the future, and yours sounds great! Let me know!
I typically go to Japan every other year, so look for something in 2028. I’d love to have you join me.