Aloha Shirt / Hokusai Katsushika / The Great Wave

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) was a master artist and printmaker of ukiyo-e, “pictures of the floating world” school.

Hokusai was well over 70 years old when The Great Wave was made. It would be the very first print he would publish of his monumental series, “The Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji”, a series which would firmly secure Hokusai’s fame in Japan, as well as overseas.

The Great Wave is Hokusai’s most celebrated work and with no doubt considered the most recognizable work of Japanese art in the world. This extraordinary pattern was dyed using the kimono technique “Kyoto-Yuzen”.

A collaboration with the Hokusai Museum, Obuse, Nagano.

Silk

PAGONG

Convey our culture to the present day.

Pagong fabrics are made using the Kyoto Yuzen dyeing process used in kimono production. Pagong's quality is supported by the high level of craftsmanship in each process.

We bring to you traditional design with the charm of Kyoto-Yuzen

ARTISAN STORY

Pagong / Kameda Tomisen Factory
Pagong is a Kyoto brand developed by Kameda Tomisen Factory, a dyeing company founded in 1919. Drawing on the company’s Kyo Yuzen expertise, its artisans apply traditional stencil-dyeing techniques used for kimono to contemporary clothing and lifestyle products. The company maintains an integrated commitment to Japanese production, carrying its distinctive archive of traditional motifs into modern design.

KYO YUZEN / KYOTO SILK DYEING

About 340 years ago / 1680s / Edo Period (1603–1868)

Kyo Yuzen took a decisive form in Kyoto’s Genroku era, when designs by the celebrated fan painter Miyazaki Yuzensai were applied to kimono. Fine paste-resist lines allowed many colors to be painted next to one another like a picture, establishing hand-painted Yuzen. In the Meiji period, stencil-based Yuzen greatly expanded production.

In Japan, Kyo Yuzen represents formal celebratory kimono worn for coming-of-age ceremonies, weddings and other important occasions. Brilliant dyeing may be combined with gold and embroidery, while the same techniques now appear on bags, scarves and interiors.

A single kimono can pass through more than twenty stages—design, underdrawing, resist application, coloring, steaming, washing, gold decoration and more. Different specialists often handle each stage, making Kyo Yuzen less the product of one maker than a collaborative artwork created by Kyoto’s craft network.

Individual Differences

As each piece is individually handcrafted, slight variations in color, pattern, shape, and texture may occur. These subtle differences are a natural characteristic of handcrafted works, making each piece truly unique. We hope you will enjoy these individual variations as part of the beauty and character of Japanese craftsmanship.

Production Time

If an item is not currently in stock, it may be made to order by the artisan. As each piece is carefully handcrafted, production may take several months depending on the item and the artisan's schedule. We appreciate your patience and understanding.