Kimono Creativity

The Manila Times

Kimono Creativity  Japan’s traditional costume, the kimono, dates back to the 8th century, although it has changed considerably over the years. With a huge variety of designs, the kimono expresses the unique Japanese approach to beauty. Almost 70 percent of Japanese silk kimono fabric is made in the Tango region, in northern Kyoto Prefecture. Tango Chirimen silk crepe has a finely wrinkled surface that reflects light randomly, adding unique depth and richness to the colors. Today, we even see kimonos using overseas motifs, influenced by cultures and styles from around the world. Somehow always fresh, this traditional garment continues to charm an ever wider audience.  VIDEO BY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN   Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe    Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net    Follow us:  Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook  Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram  Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter  DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion    Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital    Check out our Podcasts:  Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify  Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts  Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic  Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer  Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein   #TheManilaTimes #Kimono #Japan #Tradition #garment

Transcript

00:00 [Music]

00:09 [Music]

00:13 Japan's traditional costume, the kimono.

00:16 In the past, this was an everyday garment.

00:21 Today, it's mostly worn for special events and ceremonial occasions.

00:29 The roots of the kimono date back to the 8th century.

00:31 It went through many changes before evolving into the kimono we see today.

00:36 Made in an almost limitless range of patterns and colours,

00:42 kimono has expressed the range of Japanese aesthetic sensibility.

00:48 The Tango region faces the Sea of Japan in the north part of Kyoto Prefecture.

00:58 This is where almost 70% of Japanese silk kimono fabric is made.

01:02 The fabric is called Tango Chirimen.

01:06 At the region's annual kimono festival,

01:12 the streets are filled with people proudly showing off their favourite kimonos.

01:24 This is what makes Tango Chirimen fabric special, its wrinkled surface.

01:28 These fine irregular wrinkles reflect light randomly,

01:34 adding a unique depth and richness to the colours of the cloth.

01:38 Tango Chirimen has a 300-year history.

01:45 Production involves a great many processes and is highly skilled work.

01:49 Creating wrinkles in the cloth is one of the most complex of all these processes.

01:53 First, the yarn is strongly twisted at high speed.

01:58 The twisted yarn is then woven into fabric.

02:02 This is followed by immersion in hot water to clean it.

02:11 In the hot water, the twisted yarn is then soaked in hot water.

02:17 In the hot water, the twisted yarn loosens and tries to return to its original shape.

02:22 It's this that produces the distinctive wrinkles.

02:25 It gives the cloth a very beautiful luster.

02:31 That's why our fabric was always highly valued and used for top quality kimonos.

02:36 Recently, kimono designers have been taking their motifs from the world outside Japan.

02:45 This kimono was inspired by one of Argentina's most famous glaciers.

02:49 Silver and blue yarns are interwoven to suggest streams of melting ice on the glacier surface.

02:58 This project was a great opportunity for me to get to know other cultures

03:06 and at the same time to communicate Japanese culture to the world.

03:11 One of Kyoto's oldest kimono stores is also one of the most adventurous.

03:15 This was a joint project between a Japanese and a Congolese designer.

03:27 Historically, people felt free to make kimonos anywhere they liked.

03:34 So I decided I had the freedom to do it.

03:37 I had the freedom to mix African materials and designs with traditional kimono elements.

03:42 But I think we stayed true to the essence of the kimono.

03:46 This is their latest joint creation.

03:50 In Africa, two hearts touching traditionally signifies a union or bond between people.

03:58 The collars and sleeves bear an arabesque pattern of vines that symbolizes vitality.

04:05 You can have a collaboration, you can have like a complementarity between the two cultures.

04:11 After all these centuries, the kimono is as charming as ever.

04:19 And today, overseas influences are taking this traditional symbol of Japan in new and exciting directions.

04:26 [Music]

04:31 [Silence]

04:37 [Click, click, click, ding]

04:40 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Category

Transcript

Recommended