藍 means 'indigo'

A deep dive into dyeing gives you the blues in the best of ways, also illuminating the clothing of commoners versus that of the elites and priests. Speaking of priests, three of the essays connect to Buddhism. More unexpectedly, sea creatures, achievement medals, the colors of the rainbow, birds, gems, and vegetables all prove to be common ground. See which color the Japanese associate with uniforms and which one they think of when seeing soy sauce and cigarette smoke.

These essays illuminate how people produce fabulous fabrics using Japanese methods and materials. Two essays delve into techniques such as shibori (Japanese tie-dye), including the unexpected reason commoners came to wear cotton clothes dyed with indigo. Another essay touches on fabric types, such as hemp cloth, as well as the hemp leaf pattern that often adorns clothes for babies. (People associate hemp with healthy and quick growth.) Rich illustrations in all four essays show what people make with these fab fabrics, including tenugui (fancy towels), traditional pouches, and stunning wall pieces. Crafts aficionados are in for a visual treat!