A Treasured Creation: Today's Treasure - Ai, the Natural Indigo of Japan
15 Minutes · Season 4 · Episode 5
"It's kami (gods) that have helped us for generations." So says Sato Akihito (82), a 19th-generation Ai, or indigo, producer. Digging into a hot mound of Ai, he immediately knows what the Ai "wants." Ai makes an almost mystical color due to time, several fermentation processes and constant care. It requires a delicate balance between the power of humans and Ai, as well as dye artisans who are dedicated to the craft of Aizome, or indigo dyeing. We take a look at the incessant dialog between humans, fungus and plant matter, which epitomizes the Japanese attitude towards nature and beauty.
Episode Details
Air date, runtime, timezone, and episode position.
Season
4
Episode
5
Air Date
10/Feb/2021
Air Time
—
Runtime
15 min
Overview
Episode summary.
"It's kami (gods) that have helped us for generations." So says Sato Akihito (82), a 19th-generation Ai, or indigo, producer. Digging into a hot mound of Ai, he immediately knows what the Ai "wants." Ai makes an almost mystical color due to time, several fermentation processes and constant care. It requires a delicate balance between the power of humans and Ai, as well as dye artisans who are dedicated to the craft of Aizome, or indigo dyeing. We take a look at the incessant dialog between humans, fungus and plant matter, which epitomizes the Japanese attitude towards nature and beauty.
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