Kyo-Yuzen Leather / Bifold Wallet / Aster (Shion)

We reviewed the shape of conventional folded wallets and created this one by focusing on a smaller, more compact size, moderate storage capacity, and ease of handling.
Although it is the size of the palm of your hand when folded, it can neatly hold bills, cards, and coins.
The coin pocket has a deep gusset, so coins are easy to see and easy to put in and out.
The beauty of the bifold is that it provides quick access to the contents, making it less stressful to take in and out, and it also has a reasonable amount of storage capacity.
This model is recommended for those who prefer compact wallets but find trifold mini wallets unwieldy.

Leather model
This is an all-leather model whose outer fabric is not silk but leather.
The leather is not printed, but dyed one by one by utilizing the technique of Yuzen.
We developed leather suitable for coloring with a tanner in Himeji, and use our own dyes,
This allows us to freely dye different patterns on the leather.

Width：9cm
Depth : 2.5cm
Height : 10cm
Weight：65g

Cowhide

IKEUCHI YUZEN

"Creating New Beauty with Traditional Techniques"

In an industry where division of labor is the norm, our studio is one of the few that handles everything from design to production. With the philosophy of "conveying the beautiful spirit of Japan through Yuzen dyeing," we cherish classical traditions while actively engaging in new initiatives that connect these traditions to the future.

ARTISAN STORY

Masahiro Ikeuchi
Masahiro Ikeuchi was born in Kyoto City in 1981. While attending university, he was inspired by the works of his father, a Yuzen artist, and decided to join the family business of hand-painted Yuzen dyeing. He studied design under the katazome artist Kazuko Shibuya while in university. Later, he apprenticed under his father to learn the techniques of hand-painted Yuzen dyeing. Alongside creating kimonos as part of the family business, he also challenges himself by combining traditional techniques with modern sensibilities to create new values, such as scarves and fashion accessories that bridge the past and future.

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.