Kyo-Yuzen Dyeing Workshop in Kyoto 

As you probably already know, Kyoto has a very long history and many traditional crafts that are still being practiced today. But have you heard of Kyo-Yuzen? It’s a 300-year-old textile dyeing technique that originated in Kyoto and is famous for making kimonos with vibrant colours and intricate details of patterns such as flowers, birds, and other natural elements. 

Dyeing Workshop at Marumasu Nishimuraya

Marumasu Nishimuraya is a dyeing studio that offers Kyo-Yuzen workshops for beginners and more advanced levels too that I would highly recommend you to visit even if you have no previous experience or artistic background! The whole process was quite easy and relaxing as well. It is the perfect activity to create something uniquely your own, that won’t cost you a fortune, and you can easily bring your creation back home with you as a souvenir of your visit to Kyoto! 

The Dyeing Workshop Process

If you are curious about what to expect, here’s a walkthrough of my experience at Marumasu Nishimuraya’s dyeing studio. 

I signed up on their website for the “Kyo-Yuzen Beginner’s course”, chose the time I’d like to come, mentioned in the notes section that I mainly spoke English, and received an email confirmation not too long after.

On the day of, when I got there I noticed their shop first and then realized that the workshop was actually behind it (there are clear signs and a stone path along the right side to the workshop).

The staff greeted me and guided me to the main workshop area. It was 10:30 am on a weekday and there were a couple of people, but not crowded. First, I was asked to select the product/fabric I wanted to decorate (the price varies depending on what item you choose – starting at 1,500 yen). There was a wide range of about 30 items to choose from. I chose the small tapestry narrow for 2,800 yen. Then, I chose a few different premade image stencils from their folders. 

The staff explained to me some information on the history of Kyo-Yuzen as an old traditional practice from Kyoto. He also demonstrated what were the steps I’d have to do and how to properly apply the dye to the fabric. Basically, you want your brush to have an even coat of dye and not too wet (so that the dye doesn’t smudge after removing the stencil). The stencil has to be pinned down on the wooden board and you can apply the dye on the fabric in a circular motion, always starting with the lightest colour and working your way to darker colours. 

It took me a bit of time to come up with the design of my tapestry. I finally decided to have a pagoda as my main focal point as I’ve seen quite a few of them in Japan. Next to the pagoda, I have maple leaves to create an autumn scenery. Also, the Japanese aesthetic is usually quite minimal so I didn’t want to overfill my piece with too many different elements.

Kakejiku Inspo

I was inspired by the idea of the “kakejiku” Japanese hanging scroll that is often displayed in the “tokonoma” special alcove of a room. The scroll is usually carefully selected depending on the season, occasion and guest. 

Final Dyeing Workshop Product

The whole process wasn’t long, it probably took me an hour to finalize my piece. You can definitely take the time you need to complete your piece, they don’t charge you for the amount of time you stay, only the items you choose to decorate. 

In the Marumasu Nishimuraya studio, I also had the chance to see a real Kyoto-Yuzen artist working on his large-scale piece that would be used to make kimonos. I hope you can also witness it when you come for a visit!