Traditional craft
Nagoya Yuzen
名古屋友禅
Silk kimono from Nagoya painted with very few colours, often building a whole design from the light and dark shades of a single one.
Key facts
- Officially recognised
- 27 April 1983
- Type
- Dyed textiles
- Region
- Chubu
- Official name in Japanese
- 名古屋友禅
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 名古屋市、春日井市
One colour, many shades
Nagoya is known as a down-to-earth, frugal place, and its yuzen matches. Painters keep colours to a minimum and often draw a design with the light and dark shades of one colour, a quiet style called tansai notan. The black ground of formal tomesode kimono uses Nagoya's own toro-biki black dyeing, prized for its glossy depth. It is made in Nagoya and Kasugai in Aichi.
One artist from sketch to finish
In hand-painted Nagoya Yuzen, a single maker handles every stage, from design and underdrawing to paste resist, colouring and finishing, so each piece is one of a kind. For stencil dyeing, makers use Ise katagami stencils with coloured paste, or rub dye through with a brush.
Brought by travelling craftsmen
In the early 18th century, Owari culture was flourishing around Nagoya and craftsmen moved back and forth from Kyoto. Yuzen techniques are said to have arrived then. Dyed pieces from the late Edo period survive, along with records of sales of Ise katagami stencils.
Good to know
- Compare Nagoya Yuzen with Kaga Yuzen and Kyo Yuzen to see how three cities read the same craft.
- Look for the black formal kimono: the toro-biki black is Nagoya's speciality.
Questions travellers ask
What is tansai notan?
Drawing a design with the light and dark shades of a single colour, the hallmark of Nagoya Yuzen.
Is each piece made by one person?
In hand-painted Nagoya Yuzen, yes: one artist does every stage.
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.