Dreams of Cotton

This garment is a Japanese kimono (着物 literally translatable as ‘thing to wear’), specifically from the Tsugaru peninsula, in the prefecture of Aomori, which is located in the northern part of the island of Honshu. This area is known for its long, cold winters, which are characterized by heavy snowfalls.

This kimono is made of a vegetable fibre called ramie, dyed in an indigo blue color. Since early history, it was common for Japanese farmers and commoners to wear kimono made of vegetable fibres, such as ramie and hemp. However, the downside of these fibres was that the resulting textile was not warm, and frayed easily. Around the 16th century, another vegetable fibre suitable for producing clothing was made available: cotton. Kimono made of cotton were warmer, softer, and more resistant, and for these reasons cotton was widespread by the 17th century, and was grown in the warmer areas of the archipelago.[Cf]

However, the Tsugaru region seems to have been left out of this “cotton revolution”: many sources state that the commoners of Tsugaru were “not allowed” to wear cotton in the Edo Period (1603-1868), when this kimono was made, without any further explanation. It is possible that cotton may still have been considered a precious commodity. It was difficult to grow in the colder areas of Japan, and obtaining it may have been complicated by feudal politics and the influence of the guild system which regulated the growth and trade of cotton fibres.[Cf]

And so, it was out of this longing for warmer and sturdier cotton kimono that kogin embroidery was born.