Bingo-gasuri[Traditional Crafts designated by Hiroshima Prefecture]Bingo-gasuri Cooperative / Godokaisha, Kasurira

Left：Bingo-gasuri(Bingo-gasuri Cooperative)

“Bingo-gasuri” originated with Tomita Kyuzaburo about 160 years ago. At the beginning, it was essentially a part-time job based at home. Around 1960, mechanization and a specific division of labor developed and “Bingo-gasuri” developed into a major industry within the region. At its peak, it accounted for 70% of kasuri production in Japan and became known to all across Japan as one of the “Three Great Kasuri” with Kurume-gasuri and Iyo-gasuri.
Kasuri is pre-dyed fabric and either vertical threads or horizontal threads are bound and the parts of patterns are tied by strings and dyed by such dyes as indigo. It is the design features of kasuri patterns that the tied-up parts are the original patterns and by weaving vertical and horizontal threads, a variety of patterns can be created.

“Bingo-gasuri” woven by shuttle looms one by one cannot be mass-produced and over 20 production processes are all hand manufactured by matured craft-workers. Only two textile manufacturers of “Bingo-gasuri” now remain, namely “Morita Orimono” and “Kittaka Kyodai Shokai,” but both manufacturers respectively demonstrate unique features to preserve traditional manufacturing methods until today.

“Bingo-gasuri” woven by hands of craft-workers using shuttle looms.

Right：Bingo-gasuri Products(Godokaisha, Kasurira)

We plan and produce sundries and small articles using “Bingo-gasuri” under the theme of “Neo-modern.” We would like to convey to as many people as possible the attractiveness of “Bingo-gasuri” having a simple drape. Using threads dyed with indigo, persimmon tannin and sumi, “Bingo-gasuri” is an attractive traditional “Neo-modern” craft with a wide variety of kasuri patterns, stripe patterns and grid patterns.