The Mysterious Japan Blue

Indigo has been used as a dye around the world since prehistoric times. In Japan, its history spans more than 1,200 years, and Kyoto was once especially renowned for producing exceptional indigo, known as Kyoto Indigo. Cultivated using Kyoto’s pure water, this indigo was prized for its refined, luminous blue. Its beauty earned it the name Kyoto Asagi, and it was regarded as the finest indigo in Japan.

Over time, however, imported dyes and synthetic indigo became widespread, and domestic production gradually declined. By around a century ago, Kyoto Indigo was believed to have disappeared entirely. In recent years, seeds once thought to be lost were discovered to have been carefully preserved by indigo artisans in Tokushima. These seeds were returned to Kyoto, leading to the revival of traditional Kyoto indigo dyeing after generations of absence.

Most indigo grown in Japan today belongs to the akabana kojoko variety, which bears red flowers. By contrast, Kyoto’s Mizu-ai is an extremely rare shirobana kojoko variety, distinguished by its white blossoms.

Kyoto-Mizu-Ai is cultivated carefully using organic farming methods, from planting to dye production. The cultivation method is also unique : it is raised hydroponically in flooded fields, much like rice—hence the name mizu-ai, or“water indigo.”

Indigo grown in this way yields a soft, delicate color and is notoriously difficult to work with. Even minor inconsistencies in the dyeing process can result in uneven tones. Mastering this material requires exceptional sensitivity and experience.
    Each piece is carefully dyed by hand, guided by the skill and intuition of female artisans who continue this rare tradition.

Once considered almost mythical, Kyoto Mizu-ai has quietly returned.
Please enjoy its clear, gentle indigo—light, fluid, and reminiscent of water itself.