Cloth for kimono with Edo komon. “Wheel of arrows”

Yasuyoshi Komiya

Edo Komon is a technique that developed to dye kamishimo (formal attire for samurai) and kimonos for the townspeople. The word "Edo Komon" was not used from the beginning. When my grandfather Kosuke Komiya was designated as Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property, the technique was named "Edo Komon" to distinguish it from other types of Komon. I aim to create clear, translucent colors like gems that do not lose their brilliance for years. As Edo Komon is dyed in a single color, if you see it from a distance, it looks like one solid color. But if you come closer, you can see the universe consisted of tiny dots that are about 0.1mm each. In recent years, I have been producing kimonos based on tradition but with new designs that could not be seen in the Edo period.