A dye house in Nagoya that specializes in kuro montsukizome, the dyeing of black-crested formal kimono that has been practiced since the Edo Period (1603 to 1868), is working on selling stoles and T-shirts that make use of the same technology.
Yamakatsu Senko Co., based in Nishi Ward, was also featured at the world's largest fashion fair in the United States at the end of February.
With demand for kuro montsuki (black formal kimono) dwindling, the company, established in 1919, is seeking to keep the tradition alive and to revitalize the industry by adopting contemporary fashion.