Kimono in the 21st century: Japanese cotton as the new standard. The work of Izumi Nagai, the creator of Nogi.

Izumi Nagai, a dyeing and weaving artist working under the name Noi, will be holding an exhibition at Rikigan in early spring next year.

Nagai cultivates Japanese cotton, which he hand-spins and hand-weaves into bolts of fabric.

We hope you will be able to experience this rare handicraft and the beauty of the rolls of fabric.

(There is also an interview and video version, so please read it as well.)

Things speak

The other day, I received a roll of fabric (enough fabric for one kimono) made by dyeing and weaving artist Izumi Nagai.

Prior to the exhibition offshore in March next year, I plan to have a kimono made from Nagai's fabric.

To put it mildly, it's very beautiful.

The material is Japanese cotton.

The yarn is hand-spun. (The weft is spun to balance the price and weight of the kimono.)

and handwoven.

You never tire of looking at the roll of fabric itself; you can look at it forever. Just like the tea utensils that are the subject of appreciation (viewing), the roll of fabric itself has the strength and depth of an excellent work of art.

And above all, Nagai's rolls of fabric are rich in the stories they contain. What does that mean?

The origins of Nagai's bolts of fabric are very clear. After all, Nagai grows the cotton that is the raw material. As the producer of the raw material is also the maker of the bolts of fabric, his face is clearly visible.

From the perspective of traceability, this is as traceable as it gets. Being intimate with an object is the joy, pleasure, and true essence of craftwork, so a work that can tell you what materials were used and what processes were used to make it is "strong."

Through Nagai's kimono fabric, we receive the artist's physicality and are further connected to the material beyond, that is, the earth.

And every process, from cultivation to the completion of the cloth, is done by hand.

(He did say that he would like to outsource the cotton beating in the future, but) ginning, beating, spinning, dyeing, and weaving are all done by Nagai himself, without the use of machines, and all by hand.

The rhythm, undulation, and fluctuation that can only be achieved through handwork. The profound beauty. These are the "times" contained in rolls of fabric.

The rolls of cloth are woven with many layers of context, as they are agricultural products, crafts, and also have the beauty of utility, and the rolls themselves tell a story like a complex textile (!).

In other words, we can weave many words from Nagai's bolts of cloth.

The joy of being able to wear such "abundant things"

The joy of wanting to talk to someone and share it with others.

The joy of knowing your origins are clear,

The joy of being able to feel connected to the earth.

It is packed with so much joy, and that is something that is very rare even in the world of modern clothing.

Izumi Nagai cultivates Japanese cotton, harvests it, spins the thread by hand, and weaves it into kimono fabrics on a loom.

Izumi Nagai is fascinated by Japanese cotton, and as a dyeing and weaving artist, she does the incredible thing of doing everything by herself, from growing the cotton to producing the bolts of fabric.

However, she didn't seem nervous at all, and looked like she was having a great time, with a warm smile on her face, so I became freshly interested in her way of life.

Communing directly with the earth, he grows rice (surprisingly, Nagai is also a rice farmer. You can buy Nagai's rice. It's delicious!), vegetables (they are basically for his own use, but he has given me some, which is also delicious!), and cotton as a crop. He then makes bolts of cloth from that cotton.

Their lifestyle could be described as "food and clothing come from the same source." The thoughts embodied in the shop name "Nogoromo" can be seen here and there.

The beauty of the cotton, the beauty of the thread spun by Nagai, the beauty of the bolts of fabric.

To unravel this beauty, I would like to explain a little about the materials and process used to make Nogi Nagai Izumi's bolts of fabric.

What is Japanese cotton?

First, let's take a look at the material, Japanese cotton.

Japanese cotton is a variety of cotton called Desi cotton, a native Asian species of cotton, that was introduced to Japan in the 14th and 15th centuries.

(⇡ Japanese cotton bounces downwards.)

Asian cotton originally came from India, and because it "requires subtropical sunlight and high temperatures, heavy rainfall during the growing season, and dryness during the harvest season" (quoted from Wikipedia), it was difficult to cultivate in Japan and yields were low. It finally began to spread in the 16th century during the Azuchi-Momoyama period, and Japanese cotton cultivation reached its peak during the Edo and Meiji periods.

Japanese cotton has short, thick fibers that are not suitable for machine spinning. Therefore, when spinning thread from Japanese cotton, it must be spun by hand. Compared to Western cotton, it was less efficient as an industry, so it fell into decline and is now almost a myth. (Statistically, Japan's cotton self-sufficiency rate is 0%, so most people may never have even seen Japanese cotton.)

The softness and sexiness of Japanese cotton.

I mentioned that Japanese cotton has thick, short fibers, but on the flip side, this also means that it is elastic and fluffy and comfortable. Furthermore, when it comes to hand-spun yarn, it has a unique feel that is like the air is contained within the yarn, and when you put on a Japanese cotton kimono, you feel a sense of security, as if you are being protected, and a gentleness that warms your heart.

And above all, the texture of hand-spun yarn. This is possible only thanks to the skill of the artisan who spins the yarn, but the yarn of dyer and weaver Izumi Nagai, the subject of this article, is incredibly beautiful. The wildness and delicate, careful delicacy that can be felt just from the yarn. The three-dimensionality that can only be achieved by hand-spinning, with its exquisite rhythm of thinning and thickening, is the true joy of textiles.

The beauty of Japanese cotton lies in its luster, which is different from that of silk. Nagai's Japanese cotton is based on Hakushu cotton (he grows it in Nagano Prefecture, so he doesn't call his own cotton Hakushu cotton), and when he first saw Hakushu cotton, he was struck by its lustrous sheen, as if it were emitting light from its core.

And indeed, Nagai's Japanese cotton has a soft luster that resonates deep in your heart.

When you think of cotton kimonos, you might imagine them as inexpensive, but hand-spun Japanese cotton is completely different. It has a subtle, lustrous sheen and is sexy, like the simple yet profound qualities of Japanese cuisine.

In short, because I love it.

Nagai says he is always on his toes during every step.

The first thing that impressed me during the interview was Nagai's love for cotton as a raw material.

When I was taking pictures of the cotton flowers, she looked over and said things like, "So cute! So beautiful! Ahh!", completely enamored with the cotton flowers. (I'm sure she's used to seeing them, haha.)

(⇡The raw material is Japanese cotton. After this, the seeds are removed and the cotton is loosened, which gives it an even more lustrous look.)

The cotton that Nagai grows is certainly beautiful, with a silky sheen. Nagai doesn't just see it as a raw material, he enjoys the process of growing it and (without fear of being misunderstood) looks at it with loving eyes, as if it were a child he had raised.

I think the joy is even greater in areas where cultivation is difficult.

I asked Nagai why he went to such lengths. He said that it may not be easy to purchase large quantities of Japanese cotton, but even so, it must be no easy feat to start the process of producing bolts of cotton from the cultivation of the cotton.

The answer is simple: "In one word, because I love it."

It's a simple, yet powerful statement.

Nagai has kept even the smallest scraps of fabric from the bolts of cloth he has produced so far. Looking at the enormous amount of work he has produced, it is only natural that he would do so, and it would be a waste to throw away even the smallest scraps.

Just as we are taught to eat every grain of rice, I have taken to heart the idea that Japanese cotton is a precious crop that should be treated with love and respect.

(⇡A field full of cotton)

It is something that is woven into the fabric over a long period of time.

The cotton harvested in this way is deseeded and loosened (also a very time-consuming and tedious process), and then spun into thread.

I think that the artist's skill and sense are particularly evident in the spinning process. In other words, it is the process that forms the foundation of the work, the roll of fabric, and there is no doubt that the quality of the thread is directly linked to the quality of the work. The thread is spun to be optimal depending on the purpose of the fabric.

If both the warp and weft threads are hand-spun, it takes about a month to spin one bolt of yarn.

With his right hand he turns the spinning wheel, and with his left hand he layers the cotton just the right amount, applying a subtle tension to match the desired fabric quality, until it is spun into a single, thin, long thread. Slurp, slurp... He repeats this process all day, for several weeks.

There is a quiet time there.

It seems that not only the spinning of the yarn, but also the long time it takes to make a kimono fabric and the enormous amount of time spent on it are certainly woven into the work.

The quality of a work is not simply proportional to the amount of time it took to create it, but the accumulation of time weaves a magical texture and aura into the work.

At least the finished work has enough depth to make you think so.

(⇡The thread is beautiful.)

Food, drink, and clothing are great medicines

The dyeing is done using natural dyes. They sometimes collect the dyes locally and sometimes procure them from other places, but the dyeing process is repeated over and over again. The dyes are also natural, and the quality of the catalyst also affects the dyes.

(⇡Indigo dyeing. Fermented indigo leaves are reduced to a water-soluble dye. Indigo dyeing requires many steps, time, and the skill and intuition of the artisan.)

The depth of color is also captivating.

The Book of Documents, China's oldest historical text, states that "Herbs, roots, and bark are small medicines, acupuncture and moxibustion are medium medicines, and food, drink, and clothing are large medicines." Rather than medicine or acupuncture, it is important to be conscious of what you eat and what you wear in your daily life. This is what is most important for physical and mental health.

Nagai's way of life, which involves growing crops and creating bolts of fabric through a consistent process from cotton cultivation to weaving, is truly admirable and truly represents "daiyaku" (great medicine).The shop name "Nogoromo" reflects the idea that "food and clothing are one and the same."

By wearing kimonos made from fabric by Nogi Nagai Izumi, we may be able to soothe our minds and bodies, which are exposed to various stresses in modern times.

( ⇡ The dye safflower root. Hanaoka Seishu used safflower root in his Shiunko plaster. )

The benefits of hand weaving

When we think of bolts of fabric production, weaving probably comes to mind. However, as you can see from the explanation so far, weaving is only a small part of the overall process of bolts of fabric production.

However, even in this final process, there is a big difference in the finished product depending on whether it is handwoven by hand or machine.

By the way, there are no strict rules regarding the description of the manufacturing process for bolts of cloth as a product, and it seems that even items that are not hand-woven can be labeled as "hand-woven."

Machine-woven textiles are also permitted as traditional crafts in various regions, meaning that machine-woven textiles can also be certified as "traditional" crafts. In fact, the overwhelming majority of textiles are machine-woven.

This is an unavoidable part of the industry's survival. Hand-weaving takes time, which means the price is high. If fewer people buy, the industry itself will disappear.

However, it is important for us buyers to be aware of this and decide which is more valuable to us and how we want to interact with the kimono as a "great medicine."

A distinctive feature of hand weaving is that the shuttle is thrown by hand. Even if it is thrown at a constant rhythm, subtle fluctuations occur. Also, as the weaving process progresses, the tension needs to be adjusted, which can cause the fabric to ripple slightly.

Just like music, these minute fluctuations are what give humans a sense of comfort. They are aligned, but not perfectly aligned. Humans unconsciously sense these complex patterns that machines cannot create, and feel a sense of comfort and richness in them. True hand weaving approaches the 1/f fluctuations of the rhythm of waves or sunlight filtering through the trees.

(⇡Hand weaving gives the fabric a rich texture.)

It is easy to tell if a fabric is handwoven by looking at the selvedge of the fabric. It will not be perfectly straight, but will be slightly wavy or uneven.

Also, to begin with, delicate hand-spun yarn is not suitable for the high tension of machines.

Hand-spun and hand-woven cloth is a very rare item, and is only found in a very small proportion of bolts of cloth currently on sale.

The new standard of Japanese cotton (hand-spun and hand-woven)

The potential of the rare Japanese cotton material.

The beauty of hand-spun yarn.

Gentle, natural dye colors.

Handwoven for a deep texture.

Throughout Japanese history, cotton kimonos were the everyday clothing of common people.

However, this is not the case with 21st century kimonos made from Japanese cotton, hand-spun and hand-woven.

While inheriting history, it is a completely new form of beauty that is both old and new.

It is a gem of a craft, filled with many stories and rare value.

It is a powerful medicine to wear, a blessing from the earth, a complex of soothing rhythms created by human hands, a rich fountain of stories woven over a long period of time, and the very definition of beauty.

I think it is an amazing stroke of luck for us living in the same era that there are, at least in numbers, such farmers-craftsmen-artisans.

I hope that Japanese cotton becomes more well-known, and that there will be more hand-spun and hand-woven cloth.

To achieve this, we consumers need to choose what is truly valuable.

First, please visit an exhibition or other venue and experience the authentic texture and beauty for yourself.

I'm sure you'll discover unknown beauty.

I believe you will be able to feel even more by touching and wearing the pieces, so please come to the Nogi/Nagai Izumi exhibition at Rikkan in March 2026.

We hope that Japanese cotton will become an eternal standard in the world of the future.

Nagai-san as if it were nothing special. (Something like an afterword)

Just reading about Nagai's work on making bolts of fabric sounds like a lot of work, but he seems to do it with a warm and gentle touch.

However, in fact, it may be that Nagai's "ordinaryness" is the very essence of his beauty.

Even when it comes to growing Japanese cotton, things don't always go the way you want them to. There are areas beyond human control, and there are parts that you have to leave to nature. The cotton doesn't grow as you want it to, and the yield is unstable. There's also the time you have to wait while it grows until harvest.

I think that when you're dealing with nature, (though there are exceptions) things basically don't go as planned. (Raising children is probably similar.) It's not always your turn. Once you've done this much, all that's left is to let go and throw yourself into nature. Have faith and wait. Endure that uncontrollable, anxious situation. This process of relying on others is also like praying to God, which means believing in something with power beyond yourself.

And also, although it's hard to put into words, I feel like it's also a training in trusting others and in peace.

When the work of making cloth begins in this way, there is no doubt an intentional intention to create something, but this is weak; rather, it feels more like translating nature into a different form, that is, more like the artist is a translator than a creator of a work.

A great translator of what nature produces.

This is the essence of dyeing and weaving artist Nagai Izumi, and the essence of the beauty she creates.

(Like the story of techne and poiesis.)

To convey the voice of nature transparently and honestly, without ego or evil intentions.

This nature is both the nature of the outside world and the nature within oneself.

The two are continuous, and the more ego and delusion disappear, the more difficult it may become to distinguish between them.

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