These days, kasuri, indigo kimono with splashes of sober white patterns, can only be seen in TV samurai dramas, yet until the beginning of the 20th century they were the most popular and common of daily clothing.
Although many Japanese believe the art of kasuri is unique to Japan, it is in fact one of the oldest and most widespread dyeing and weaving techniques in the world, known internationally as ikat. Though its origin is unclear, ikat can be found in many regions around the world including Egypt, India, Persia, Europe, China and South America.
The term ikat denotes any type of cloth with hazed patterns created by interweaving predyed yarns. The word ikat comes from the Malayan mengikat, which literally means "to tie," because thread-resist is the most common dyeing method used.