A collaboration between Kyoto's hand-painted Yuzen dyeing studio, Tomihiro Senko, and Barcos J Line, a made-in-Japan bag brand committed to uniquely Japanese craftsmanship, has resulted in a bag that blends Japanese craftsmanship and sensibility. We spoke with Ryuji Otani, designer of Barcos J Line, and Tomoko Fujii, director of Tomihiro Senko, which handles everything from planning to manufacturing of hand-painted Yuzen.

--How did this collaboration come about?

Fujii: Around spring 2013, I heard from Taiyo Onishi, president of Isetan Mitsukoshi, that he was considering a project to showcase the finest Japanese products. He introduced me to various designers and manufacturers, and the project gradually progressed. Barcos was one of them.

Otani: I was approached by Takashi Yamamoto, president of Barcos, who asked me to come up with a plan to create a bag incorporating hand-painted Yuzen for Barcos J Line.

--What challenges did you face in creating the bag? Otani: It was the careful adjustment of the dyeing design to the width of the Kyo-Yuzen fabric and how it blended with the bag. I had the opportunity to observe Tomihiro Dyeing's hand-painted Yuzen production site, where I learned about the kind of design needed and the process of finishing it, before creating the design. Fujii: Otani's designs often feature subtle colors, so I was extremely careful to create them without destroying that image. Each pattern is blurred, and the designs are extremely intricate, so they took two or three times longer than usual. Yuzen is a living thing, so only an experienced craftsman can get the shading of each color right. I was anxious until it was finished. However, our company originally started out as a custom-made company, creating products to meet customer requests, so we were able to demonstrate that custom-made spirit in this project. -- Tomihiro Dyeing's "tomihiro" brand also sells accessories other than kimonos. Fujii: In order to protect and nurture the next generation of artisans and secure jobs, I began to think about utilizing hand-painted Yuzen in areas other than kimono. I started working on it in earnest in 2013. While there aren't many customers who immediately recognize our products as Yuzen, many do comment on how pretty and cute the colors are. Yuzen uses multiple colors, resulting in beautiful results, which is what catches their eye. The concept of the Barcos J Line is to use the finest techniques and materials. What kind of interaction do you have with the artisans? Otani: In my case, I usually submit a design for a bag I want, and then we work together, primarily with the Barcos artisans, to determine the production method and details. In fact, there are bags that were finally realized after much trial and error by the artisans to recreate my design. I'm particular about creating unique bags that no one has ever seen before, so I come up with ideas and communicate with the artisans multiple times until I complete my ideal bag. --I hear about the shrinking market for Japan's traditional industries and the closure of workshops and factories. Fujii: I feel a strong sense of crisis about that. That's why I'm working to make Yuzen more accessible to more people by utilizing its techniques and creating everyday items like corsages and bags. --How do you want to connect the techniques and culture we have today to the future? Fujii: Our company doesn't just sell kimonos; we create hand-painted Yuzen products, so we expect our artisans to continue working using that technique. Yuzen involves many steps, so I'd like to use each step, such as starching and dyeing, to create new things other than kimonos. However, kimonos are at the core of everything, so I want to continue making kimonos. Otani: If the process of realizing my somewhat unrealistic designs can inspire artisans to develop new techniques, then I think I can be of some help. I believe that by incorporating small, personal touches into traditional techniques and cultures, the skills can be passed on to the future while adapting to the times.