A dyeing technique from a bygone era
Tsujigahana is a dyeing technique that was popular between the late Muromachi and early Edo periods (16^th to 17^th century), but soon faded into history. It is based on shibori, or tie-dyeing, and it often decorated with ink painting, gold leaf and silk embroidery. It reached its zenith in the Azuchi-Momoyama period and was an important part of the flamboyant Momoyama culture. However, with the advent of the Yuzen school of dyeing in middle of the Edo period, the time-consuming tsujigahana technique quickly fell out of favor and disappeared.

Noticing beauty in the mundane
There are many theories about the origin of the term Tsujigahana. One is that the name was taken from flowers (hana) that grew in the streets (tsuji).  Perhaps the people of the war-torn era found solace in the ephemeral beauty of flowers that bloomed silently along the roads, only to wilt and die. It is a similar sentiment evoked by the tea ceremony, which also originated in the same era.

E-Shibori-An
With a stunning view of Mt. Hiei, E-Shibori-An is a dyeing workshop in the Rakuhoku district of Kyoto. It is run by the father-and-son team of Hirotoshi and Ken Fukumura. (The elder Fukumura is a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association, Japan's premier trade group for traditional artisans.) Using techniques passed down from their ancestors and taking advantage of the ample water resources nearby, the Fukumuras painstakingly create modern versions of Azuchi-Momoyama era tsujigahana fabrics. Kasane's tsujigahana products are produced in cooperation with E-Shibori-An.

The Tsujigahana dyeing process
Tsujigahana designs originate from the use of shibori (tie-dyeing) to dye in multiple colors. The pressure applied in the tie-dyeing process keeps other dyes out, thus enabling the creation of multicolored patterns. The following is an overview of the traditional process that E-Shibori-An uses.

1. Rough sketch
A rough sketch of the design is written on paper then transferred to the fabric with a dye that disappears when water is applied.

2. Stitching
The outline of the rough sketch is sewn into the fabric to form the design. The more intricate the stitching, the more beautiful the design.

3. Tying
A variety of tying techniques are used to create different results. Each string that is tied and pulled results in different patterns and colors.

4. Dipping and dyeing
The tied fabric is dipped in dye. If the fabric is left in the dye for too long, dye will leak into the knots; if the fabric is not left in long enough, the fabric won't dye thoroughly. The fabric is re-tied and this process is repeated for each color.

5. Thread removal
Once all of the dyes have been applied, the thread is removed. You cannot know how the dyeing turned out until all of the threads have been carefully removed one by one.

6. Steaming
The fabric is steamed to entrench the colors.

7. Smoothing
The wrinkled up fabric is smoothed out.

8. Ink painting
Ink paintings are added to the undyed portions, thus yielding the finished product.

It should be noted that tie-dying, first and foremost, is a technique for dyeing in different colors by applying pressure. Although the end product is not intended to possess a stereoscopic effect, often times it does.  

Tsujigahana products link is here