SUZUSAN

Designed in Dusseldorf by Creative Director Hiroyuki Murase, some talented artisans, young and experienced, gather in Arimatsu to apply Shibori techniques to meticulously chosen materials such as cashmere and linen sourced from all over the world.

Each pattern is unique because it is all done by hand.

For over 100 years, Suzusan Shoten, the forerunner of Suzusan Co., Ltd., has been entrusted with the design, pattern carving, and painting processes for Arimatsu Narumi Shibori.

This tradition has been carried on through five generations and, in 2008, the company introduced its own brand in Germany. Today, all aspects from design and manufacturing to sales are handled internally.

To pass on valuable craftsmanship to the future generation, skilled artisans and young craftsmen carry forward these time-honored Shibori techniques, fostering the cycle and sustainability of the craft in Arimatsu.

The history of Arimatsu began in 1608 when 8 settlers migrated to the village along the Tokaido, a historic coastal road connecting Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto.

During that era, as cotton cultivation emerged in Owari and Mikawa regions, locals began crafting and selling cotton dyed handkerchiefs, which soon gained fame as souvenirs for Tokaido travelers.

This dyeing technique is known as 'Arimatsu Narumi Shibori' which has been passed down from generation to generation for over 400 years in Arimatsu, Nagoya.