Tairyo-bata

Tairyō-bata is the flag hoisted on a fishing boat upon a bountiful return. According to one theory, this type of flag was created around the middle of the Edo period (1603-1868) when the system instating a head of fisherman’s group was established to manage fishing rights. The design is usually auspicious motifs relating to the sea. The bold design created using the tsutsugaki dyeing technique transmits the spirit of the fishermen. Today, tairyō-bata can also be seen adorning boats during festivals, or at celebratory events such as weddings and birth celebrations.

A tairyō-bata is created first by sketching over the fabric. Next, glutinous rice flour, rice bran, lime and other substances are mixed inside a piping bag made of tanned paper, before the paste is squeezed out along the sketched motifs. Known as tsutsugaki, this technique requires skilled hands to create the characters and outlines. Meanwhile, the paste is adequately mixed by skilled artisans according to the weather and humidity at the time of mixing.

Once the tsutsugaki process is finished, brushes are used to dye the fabric. As the dye dries fast, vibrant dye colours must be evenly applied swiftly. The brushes are made from deer or wolf hair to provide desirable body and flexibility.

The paste applied during the tsutsugaki process is removed by soaking the fabric in water. The sections covered by the paste remain white and enhances the dyed motifs. For making a tairyō-bata sun-resistant and colour-fast dyes are used and each piece of fabric is hand washed.

After the paste has been washed off, the fabric is set to dry in the sun. To avoid wrinkling due to uneven drying, the fabric is stretched taut. Large fabrics take between approximately 20 to 30 minutes to dry, while small fabrics take about 15 minutes.

The vibrantly applied primary colours and the powerful design with motifs placed in the centre—such profound colour tones are not attainable by modern printing techniques. The sketch is drawn on the fabric freehand with a prepared design used as reference. This is possible thanks to the craftsmanship cultivated by the Matsuda Somemono-ten. The bold characters and design on every tairyō-bata are original and based on traditions passed down from generation to generation. With the tsutsugaki technique borders are not created; instead, vibrant gradations between dark and light colours are freely applied and blended out by the artisan.