Amami Oshima (Naze), Japan June 14, 2023 3.75 hours Cultural Amami
As we drove along the highway we passed through a lot a lush, green vegetation along the roadway. We arrived at a very zen museum and I enjoyed the aesthetics of the buildings and Tanaka Issan’s artwork. The next stop was a kimono factory. We learned about the process of dying silk. It was interesting to see the process of a mud bath that allowed the chemicals from the mud to color the silk. Silk dying was explained. We watched a man using a shime bata loom. We also saw the fine work involved in hand looms. The grounds were lovely with a very zen feeling. The entertainment during our departure from Naze was enjoyable.
Cultural Amami 8:30 3.75 hours.
Gain an appreciation for the culture of the Amami Islands through the art of one of its most beloved painters and by watching artisans create textiles for kimonos. At the Tanaka Isson Memorial Art Museum, you will browse a collection of works that Isson painted toward the end of his life. Although his genius wasn’t recognized until after his death in 1977, Isson is now considered the islands, most esteemed painter. Few artists have captured the local flora and fauna with such color and graphic style. His paintings of the tropics inspired his nickname Hapan’s Paul Gauguin.
The dyers and weavers that produce Amami’s much sought after tsumugi and kasuri silk-cotton fabrics are just as revered for their artistry. The dyes are made in a unique manner using iron-rich mud and natural extractions from sharinbai trees. The technique can be traced back to the Nara period of about 1,300 years ago, and the resulting kimonos are known for their sumptuous shines.
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