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Transcending time,
inheriting tradition,
and creating
the real thing

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Experience the Aoyagi Dye Factory
in “Kimono Town Tokamachi

AOYAGI, founded in 1938 in Tokamachi, Niigata, aspires to capture the true essence of Japanese kimono.
We create our kimono completely in-house, using traditional methods of weaving, dyeing, shibori, yuzen and decoration.
This sets us apart from other makers, and we are proud of our artisans’ high technical ability and ingenuity.
At Kimono Factory Aoyagi you can see the passion of our artisans, and some of the most precious moments in our kimono production process.

The History of Aoyagi
and Tokamachi

Tokamachi has a 1300 year long history of textile manufacture.

This region’s climate is ideal for working with textiles: there is very little wind and high humidity both day and night and year-round.

As a heavy snowfall region, we can utilize the snow for natural processes such as yuki sarashi (fabric bleaching on snow), and the snow-melt provides an abundant supply of soft-water perfect to make dyes.

The quality and success of Tokamachi-made textiles, such as Echigo-chijimi, is wholly thanks to the snow.

The History of Aoyagi
and Tokamachi

Creating Kimono
Completely In-House

Since 1980, Aoyagi has operated with in-house start to finish production, passionately ensuring quality from design to delivery.

Working in this way has gifted us maximum control over the production process, and the capability to coordinate complex dyeing procedures.

We are also investing in training the next generation of artisans to inherit our traditional skills, as we pursue craftsmanship that values both tradition and innovation.

Why not take a factory tour and see how we create kimono here at Aoyagi?

Creating Kimono
Completely In-House

Guided Factory Tours

Take a tour through all the stages of our factory’s kimono production.

  • Marvel at the dynamic technique of okezome barrel dyeing, and be there that magical moment when we lift the lid
  • Step inside our hikizome brush dyeing room where we work with an entire length of fabric as its suspended in the air
  • See the smooth application of katazome screen printing in our workshop that houses hundreds of intricate handmade stencils
  • Our guided tour will take you through three of the buildings in our maze-like factory
Guided Factory Tours

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Select a date from the calendar to proceed to the application screen.

工房見学

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Course

“Yuzen Course”

Length: Around 60 minutes

Cost: ¥3,000円(税込)

  • This course includes our main yuzen processes.
  • See an artisan work on fabric suspended wall to wall in our hikizome room, and the smooth application of katazome screen printing using an extensive collection of stencils.

“Yuzen Course”

“Shibori Course”

Length: Around 60 minutes

Cost: ¥3,000 per person

  • This course includes our main shibori processes.
  • See our okezome (barrel dyeing) room, where we use a dynamic and unexpected method of dyeing.

“Shibori Course”

“Full Course”

Length: Around 90 minutes

Cost: ¥5,000 per person

  • This course includes both our shibori and yuzen processes.

“Full Course”

(Please understand that we may have to alter the tour course in response to the day’s operation)

Experiences

You may choose one of the following experiences per guided tour (optional).

“Shibori Dyeing”

Length: Around 60 minutes (in addition to the tour)

Cost: ¥5,000 per person

  • Handkerchief Shibori Dyeing

“Shibori Dyeing”

“Suri-yuzen Dyeing”

Length: Around 60 minutes (in addition to the tour)

Cost: ¥5,000 per person

  • Handkerchief Suri-yuzen Dyeing

“Suri-yuzen Dyeing”

Access

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  • Aoyagi Akashi Koubou (Factory)
    18 Akashi-cho, Tokamachi City, Niigata
    〒948-0048
    TEL:+81-25-757-1567
  • Aoyagi Honten (Headquarters)
    26-6 Sakae-cho, Tokamachi City, Niigata
    〒948-0068
    TEL:+81-25-757-2171
  • WAPON
    Honcho 6-Chome, Tokamachi City, Niigata
    〒948-0003 (Inside Cross-10)