May 2025 - Rocketsu Dye in Kyoto, Japan

My siblings and I traveled to Asia for the World Masters Games, and during our stay, we spent several days in Kyoto. Jill and I decided to take a class in Kyoto on Rocketsu Dyeing, which is a traditional form of fiber art. The class lasted about two hours and was very well organized. We navigated the steps easily, despite the language barrier.

Initially, we chose some stencils and arranged our design. Then, we placed the fabric and stencils on the light table. We shared a table with a vat of hot wax between us. Using the wax, we painted over the stencil.

After applying the wax to the fabric, we immersed it in a vat of blue dye. The dye adhered to all the areas not covered by wax. The process involved rinsing the fabric after dyeing, then spinning out as much water as possible.

Once the fabric was as dry as possible, we ironed it, and an older lady from the location sewed a small red bow onto it. It was a fantastic class, and I was glad we took the time to learn this while in Japan.