Amano Indigo Kouya
A yarn dyeing studio founded in 1870
This indigo dyeing studio was established in 1870. It is currently headed by Hisashi Amano, the fifth generation in his family to continue the indigo dyeing tradition.
In 1827, Sadako Nagaoka was taught the dyeing and weaving techniques of kasuri from the town of Yonago in Hoki-kuni. She then spread these dyeing and weaving techniques to the people of Hirose, which flourished as the home of Hirose Kasuri. At its peak, Hirose Kasuri was known as one of the three major production areas in western Japan along with Kurume Kasuri and Iyo Kasuri. It was said that many studios competed with each other in dyeing techniques.
After the war, with the decline of the dyeing industry, Amano Kouya became the only studio left in Hirose. Cotton, hemp, and silk are still dyed indigo using those traditional techniques.
Blue Frog
Hisashi Amano,
the fifth generation of Amano dyers
He grew up with the indigo colour on his mind.He majored in dyeing and weaving at Seian University of Art and Design in Kyoto, and after returning home, he learned indigo dyeing and management from his grandfather Kei. Although they were an indigo dyeing studio specializing in yarn dyeing, he became interested dyeing cloth. With a cloth dyeing book as his teacher, and through trial and error, he started “indigo pattern dyeing”.
The name "Blue Frog" is a combination of two of his favorite things, the colour blue and frogs.
Address and contact information
968 Hirose, Yasugi-shi, Shimane-ken, 692-0404, Japan
TEL 0854-32-3384
Business hours
Holidays : Not fixed
Opening hours: 10:00 - 18:00
Parking lot
There are two private parking spaces behind the store.
