Natsujiro shoten and Koginsashi ｜ 02

Have you heard of Koginshi embroidery, a representative folk art of Aomori?

I didn't know that much.

Recent Kogin embroidery is stylish and cute.

With Natsujiro Shoten, the pioneer who created this "recent" trend

WLK's HANAO SHOES collaboration

So, I took this opportunity to go to Aomori.

A project to attach Natsujiro's Kogin embroidered thongs to HANAO SHOES.

The venue is Gallery CASAICO in Hirosaki City.

It was cold, but it was worth the trip.

With Koginzashi artist Natsujiro (photos not allowed)

I will post the transcript of the talk here.

About Hirosaki, Kogin embroidery, Aomori's traditional industries, etc.

Natsujiro Shoten and Kogin Embroidery ｜ 01

Learn "Koginzashi" at home in Aomori

Basic knowledge: The roots of Kogin embroidery.

It was a time when people would say, "This isn't Kogin embroidery."

Natsujiro Shoten and Kogin Embroidery ｜ 02

After all, anyone can do embroidery.

Because it is made by specialists working together in a division of labor, added value can be added.

The reason for the thong and Natsujiro.

Natsujiro Shoten and Kogin Embroidery ｜ 03

I didn't know about HAMAO SHOES.

After the talk with Natsujiro

After all, anyone can do embroidery.

Natsujiro:
I think other people were probably starting to do it too, but they were all told it wasn't mainstream.
As the number of colors gradually increased, people started to think that it would be nice to have a variety of colors.

Sakai:
That's the influence of Instagram, isn't it?
Everyone was taking pictures and saying how cute it was, and the movement just kept growing.

Natsujiro:
I think so. Nowadays, there is YouTube, and anyone can do it by watching a video.
Also, it became possible to buy ingredients in Tokyo.

Sakai:
Materials? Are Kogin needles different?

Natsujiro:
It's a little different.
Kogin needles are bigger than regular embroidery needles, and the tips are rounded so they won't pierce.
I use Hiroshima needles, which are specially designed for Kogin.

Sakai:
The needle is Hiroshima.

Natsujiro:
There are many Kogin needles in Hirosaki, but the length, thinness, and reach of the Hiroshima needles are just right.
I like it, it's just right.
As more and more materials like this become available and more people start using them, the variety will increase.
When I created my original fabric, Tsugaru Kobosha (Hirosaki) was like the final boss,
They also started making a wide variety of fabrics there.
They have started producing pink and red fabrics in-house, and fabric making has become a trend in the Kogin embroidery community.

Sakai:
In response to the recent trend of "Koginzashi" accessories,
So, for Natsujiro, he stopped making accessories and focused on making thongs.

Natsujiro:
Yes. In the end, no matter who does the embroidery, there is a limit to how far they can reach.
If you embroider using the same tools, patterns, and materials, no matter how skilled you are, you will all end up in the same place.
Therefore, it is rare to find anything in the world of Kogin embroidery that is clearly a professional technique.
You have to be creative when stitching on small things, but with Kogin embroidery, if it's too small it blends in with the weave.

I think that the beauty of hand embroidery doesn't come out unless it's a certain size, so
I thought the only way to differentiate myself from others was through fabric, so I decided to have it woven for me.
When an individual asks a weaver to weave cloth, they usually ignore them, but the people at Banshuori were very helpful.

Because it is made by specialists working together in a division of labor, added value can be added.

Sakai:
Natsujiro, you're so focused on the thongs, do you also make the thongs yourself?

Natsujiro:
No, I have the thongs made by a tailor in Asakusa.

Sakai:
That's right, good for you.
I was freaked out because I thought they might be doing it.

Natsujiro:
I tried to do it, but it's something that only a true craftsman can do.
However, if you do everything yourself, it's difficult to add value.
By dividing up the work among the thong maker, tailor, sandal maker, and painter to create one item, they are able to charge a regular price.

When I was making general merchandise, I was doing everything myself, so it wasn't really a business.
I can't put a price on it.

Sakai:
So that's what happened.
It was during that time in the miscellaneous goods business that I first learned about Natsujiro.
When I was involved in the design of the Aomori Triennale, an art festival held once every three years, a knowledgeable man at the city hall named Nagata told me about Natsujiro.

Natsujiro:
That's right.

Sakai:
"It's amazing!" says Nagata.

Natsujiro:
I'm glad there are people who know about it.

Sakai:
I think he showed me Natsujiro's business card holder.

Natsujiro:
I used to do custom-made items, and I held my first solo exhibition of miscellaneous goods here (CASAICO).
Up until then I had always set up stalls at craft events, so this was my first solo exhibition of miscellaneous goods.
This will be the first and last exhibition of miscellaneous goods.

The reason for the thong and Natsujiro.

Sakai:
Is there any reason why you chose to focus on thongs out of all the miscellaneous items?

Natsujiro:
I originally made it for myself.
When I felt like I had to do something different from other artists,
Kasai from CASAICO, a fellow Kogin craftsman, encouraged me by saying, "It would be interesting to exhibit just the thongs."
Since this was a good opportunity, I thought I'd just get the thongs.
It would be interesting to see thongs lined up all over the wall.

Sakai:
That's the current situation, I thought, this is interesting, it's interesting.

Natsujiro:
thank you.
I had made one pair for myself, so I wanted to be able to choose and wear them in the same way.
In the geta section of department stores, there are signs saying, "You can customize your favorite thong and base. Just for you."
That's something that footwear stores have been doing for a long time, so there's nothing special about it.
If you're going to call it custom, I think it would be more interesting to do it one leg at a time.

Sakai:
Yes. How do you feel about being a "thong maker"?

Natsujiro:
It was good to focus on one thing because it allowed me to think about it for a long time.
It's fun to think about the shape of the geta and the material and processing of the base.
I was surprised to find that there was a demand for thongs.

Sakai:
So in the end, do you feel it was a good idea to focus on just the thong?

Natsujiro:
I agree.

Sakai:
How many exhibitions per year?

Natsujiro:
2-3 times a year

Sakai:
CASAICO?

Natsujiro:
CASAICO comes every two years.
I've also been given talks about places in Tokyo and other areas.
This year, a footwear store from Osaka opened a store in Tokyo. It was inside a department store, so the shoes were laid out flat.
After all, this (the thongs all over the wall) is how it should be, so it looks a bit strange when laid flat.

Sakai:
It's a little different from what Natsujiro wants to do.

Natsujiro:
I want to hammer a nail into the wall lol.
I love watching everyone pick up the thongs, put them back, take them back, put them back...

Sakai:
It looks like we can do something together with Natsujiro, WLK, and KYOTO T5.

Natsujiro:
I wish you had told me that around the previous year.
The limit is 100 pairs in a year. This time it's 140.
Usually, I get the offer the year before, and then I work hard for a year to get to that point.
Next year is already booked up, and there are no plans for the year after that.

Sakai:
Got it. Anyway, all you want is to have thongs lined up all over the wall, right?

Natsujiro:
Yes, in this style.
The walls are covered in thongs. If you can find a space where you can nail them, let me know and I'll make 100 pairs for that purpose.

It can be done with 50, but it will be half of this.
Depending on the space, 50 would be fine, but it's better to have this many.

Sakai:
Natsujiro's favorite.