Traditional craft
Kurume Gasuri
久留米絣
Indigo cotton ikat from southern Fukuoka, invented around 1800 by a 12-year-old girl who unpicked an old, faded kimono to see how its white spots were made.
Key facts
- Officially recognised
- 2 June 1976
- Type
- Woven textiles
- Region
- Kyushu & Okinawa
- Official name in Japanese
- 久留米絣
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 久留米市、八女市、筑後市、大川市、うきは市、八女郡広川町、三潴郡大木町
Deep indigo, soft cotton
Kurume Gasuri is a cotton ikat: the threads are tied and dyed before weaving, which gives the patterns depth. It is a simple, homely cloth used for kimono, clothes, accessories and interior goods, made in Kurume, Yame, Chikugo and other towns in southern Fukuoka.
A girl's curiosity
Around 1800, Inoue Den, the daughter of a Kurume rice merchant, noticed white spots on an old indigo kimono that had been washed many times. Only about 12, she unpicked the threads to see how the spots formed, then tied threads herself to recreate them. The Kurume domain later promoted the craft, and picture and fine ikat techniques followed.
Matched by hand
The design is drawn, warp and weft are prepared, the pattern sections are tied, and the threads are dyed. The weaver then matches the ikat by hand as she weaves.
Good to know
- Kurume Gasuri shirts, bags and table linen are made for daily use and soften nicely with washing.
- Kurume is about 15 to 30 minutes from Hakata by train, an easy half-day trip from Fukuoka.
Questions travellers ask
Who invented Kurume Gasuri?
Inoue Den, a Kurume girl born in 1788, who worked out the technique at about 12 years old.
Where is Kurume Gasuri made?
In Kurume, Yame, Chikugo, Okawa, Ukiha and nearby towns in southern Fukuoka.
Where it comes from
More crafts from the same area
Local foods from the same area
Heritage stories from the same area
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.