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Okinawa By Hand and Sea
September 10, 2012
Discover the artisanal traditions that have flourished for centuries on this island outpost of Japan
An artist creates a textile in the Shiroma Bingata Studio. Once made for royal kimonos, bingata — the stencil-dyed cloth of Shuri in Naha — is known for its bright color combinations and floral, bird, fish and water motifs inspired by Okinawa’s natural beauty. (Photographs by Tetsuya Miura) In the heart of the Motobu Peninsula, artist Masanao Shiroma makes indigo-dyed textiles and pottery with a native species of indigo. At Aikaze, his inviting hilltop workshop, gallery and café nestled deep within the Yanbaru Forest, visitos can sign up for dyeing lessons, and enjoy a traditional lunch served on his pottery. A cyclist rides on Tsuboya Pottery Street, in Naha, capital city of the Okinawa prefecture. At Yukutaya Gama, the kiln of Minoru and Keiko Chibana, designs feature the floral patterns of classic Ryukyu pottery. A striking nine-chamber climbing kiln marks the center of Yomitan Pottery Village, a laid-back community that is home to more than a dozen artists’ studios and galleries. Seikichi and Seiichiro Inamine’s hand-blown glass, shown here, also graced banquet tables at the G8 Summit in 2000. A beach on Kouri-jima, about six miles from the Shiroma Bingata Studio. The islands’ native botanicals are a rich resource for pigments, fibers and other materials, as well as inspiration for textile motifs and sculptural forms.
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