![]() ![]() So how exactly is this magical blue created? Let’s take a look at the process carried out at its major production site of Tokushima. It also confers anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties to materials! In Japan, indigo clothing have been touted to relieve poor circulation and dry skin (perfect for the current winter) since the Edo Period, and today these properties have gained renewed interest as indigo has become the “in” dye for not just shirts, but also socks, handkerchiefs, and even curtains and wooden wall panelling in homes. (Image credit: AI/TOKUSHIMA)Įven as a dye, indigo is more than just a pretty colour. Nutritious plates of indigo-infused treats. It even beats blueberries in this aspect, containing four times the antioxidant of the fellow blue power berry. In recent years, indigo has garnered interest as a health food rich in fibre, minerals and most strikingly, anti-oxidising polyphenols. With all our modern health fads, it’s no surprise that these medical uses have extended to diet as well. Its many health benefits have been recorded in medicinal notes preserved through the generations, including its effectiveness against mouth ulcers, poisons, nausea, and fever. The indigo plant has actually always been valued as a medicinal herb, even before it was used for dyes. Its beautiful hue is not the only reason why indigo is so well-loved. The ever-expanding range of indigo-dyed products includes stylish umbrellas! (Image credit: AI/TOKUSHIMA) The importance of awa ai in upholding “Japan Blue” was recognised in 2019, when it was certified as Japan Heritage. At its peak in the 1800s, Tokushima indigo was in wide demand throughout Japan. Indigo is known as ai (藍) in Japanese, and it’s not hard to guess its local importance when there’s even a town called Aizumi (藍住) in Tokushima, literally meaning “indigo life”! What’s more, indigo dye from Tokushima is of such premium quality that it has been branded across Japan as awa ai (阿波藍), Awa being the old name for Tokushima. With the cotton boom in the Edo Period (1603-1868), the use of indigo dye came to be widely spread amongst the general population as well.Īnd while this “Japan Blue” has been cultivated across different parts of the country, Tokushima (徳島県 Tokushima-ken ) was and remains a major producer. How long a history? It is thought that indigo first came to Japan from China, by way of the Korean Peninsula, as early as the 8th century! The armour of samurai were popularly dyed in an auspicious shade of indigo known as kachiiro (勝色 winning colour), a legacy that continues today in the indigo jerseys of Japan’s national soccer team. While this “Japan Blue” has regained attention in recent years, it actually has a long history of production in Japan. Have you noticed the colour of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics logo? Indigo might not be the first colour you associate with the land of the rising sun, but it in fact holds an international reputation as “Japan Blue”. ![]()
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