In preparation for the National Culture Festival, production of the noren for the Uetsuno Commercial District shop doors is coming along well. On Sunday, we used loquat to do some dyeing at the Shimobun Atelier.
The instructor was Ryoji Maeno (my neighbour). I heard we’d be using loquat to dye the fabric and I assumed it would be the fruit of the loquat, but it turns out the branches and bark are used as a dye… You learn something new every day.

By the way, did you know what colour you can get from loquat dye?
I bet you didn’t! It looks like this…

Kind of a mix of vermillion and maroon, or maybe a light red oxide… a funny colour. Well each colour has so many different names, so I don’t know what to call it… (haha)

Meanwhile, in the former children’s playroom, everyone is working away preparing the noren fabric. Everyone there sitting on the right-hand side, hard at work, peering over their bifocals… (haha)
Everyone is so serious! A tense atmosphere settles over the room. The only one making idle chit-chat is the photographer… (haha)Here’s Nikolai in his trademark pink shirt. Even he looks serious…

But what’s this? Some mischief seems to be afoot…?

I knew it! His face breaks open in a laugh. What kind of silly remark did he make to Ms Kuniko Aihara just now…(haha)