Blue is not just a color.
Okinawa's indigo dyeing, the blue of the sea and sky, and the feelings that have been passed down on this island.
Our ancestors overcame wars and hardships to pass on our precious culture to the future.
He defined that feeling as "blues."

Blues is music born out of sadness, and also symbolizes the power to overcome.
Okinawa's history has also seen it evolve as a culture while accepting the pain of the past.
The indigo blue contains all of this.

In the age we live in, traditional culture must not only be preserved, but also continue to evolve, connecting it to the future.
With this in mind, we embarked on the Okinawa Blues Journey.
It is a journey to bring the blue of Okinawa to the world.
It is also a journey to discover new possibilities through indigo and dyeing and weaving culture around the world.

What is Ryukyu indigo?

Ryukyu indigo has been cultivated in Okinawa since ancient times and has developed along with the dyeing and weaving culture.
However, its history has not been smooth.
The culture of Ryukyu indigo almost disappeared during the Battle of Okinawa.
The indigo fields were burned and the traditional techniques were almost completely lost.

However, during the post-war reconstruction period, our ancestors began cultivating Ryukyu indigo again, preserving the dyeing and weaving techniques and passing them on to the future.
Without their efforts, we may never have been able to experience this beautiful indigo color.

However, traditions cannot survive simply by being passed down.
It needs to evolve in a way that suits the current times and breathe new life into it.
That's why I go on a journey.
To spread this Okinawan indigo to the world.

Okinawa Blues Journey

The OKINAWA BLUES JOURNEY is a journey through indigo culture around the world, centered around Okinawan indigo dyeing.
The "blue" born in Okinawa intertwines with the "blue" of the world to create new expressions.

Exploring Indigo Culture Around the World

• He visits not only Okinawa, but also various parts of Japan, Asia, Africa, Europe, and other countries with indigo dyeing culture.
• Learn about the dyeing and weaving techniques and history of each region and examine the similarities and differences with Okinawan indigo.
• Express it with your own hands and elevate it into a work of art.

Creating while traveling

• He uses materials from the places he visits and creates works that soak up the atmosphere of the place.
• Creating a "new indigo" that combines Okinawan indigo with the world's dyeing and weaving culture.
• The process is shared with many people through social media, YouTube, and blogs.

Traveling with surfing

• Through surfing, you can connect with local people and learn about their culture.
• The feeling of riding a wave and the rhythm of weaving thread are somewhat similar.
• He creates his works while interacting with nature.

Okinawa Blues Journey is more than just a trip.
It is both a challenge to connect Okinawan traditions to the future and a journey to explore new forms of expression.

Why travel now?

Today, traditional culture is undergoing major changes.
What once could only be made by hand by artisans is now mass-produced by machines.
Dyeing and weaving is no exception, and many techniques are being lost.

However, there are expressions that can only be achieved through handcrafted work.
This is the "flavor" and "warmth" that is created by dyeing and weaving over time.
And the "feelings" that are put into it.

That's why I keep moving.
While traveling, she works with her hands, dyes thread, and weaves cloth.
To pass on Okinawa's indigo to the future.

Let's make this journey together

The Okinawa Blues Journey is not just mine.
The project will be documented on YouTube and blogs, and will develop together with viewers. Anyone can watch, be it someone with knowledge of tradition, a surfer, an artist, a designer, or a traveler. If more people empathize with the journey and feel something in it, it will create new cultural connections.

Bringing Okinawa's blue to the world.
And bring the world's blue to Okinawa.

The Okinawa Blues Journey begins here and now.