KYOTO -- Fukumi Shimura has been weaving kimono from naturally dyed thread for 47 years, but she is continually surprised by the mysteries of nature.

The hues provided by plants, nuts and tree bark vary tremendously depending on the different conditions in which they have grown -- and, she says, their relationships with the people who draw the colors from them.

"I am constantly surprised by the individuality of each plant as it provides so many different colors," the 78-year-old Shimura said. "The colors that appear also differ depending on their relations with the dyers."