About BUNZABURO

Shibori, a traditional Japanese tie-dye technique, creates a unique form and texture resulting in original fashion items - Discover and enjoy a one-of-a-kind item just for you.

Katayama Bunzaburo Shoten, opened in Kyoto in 1915, has focused on creating traditional Japanese tie-dye items. The first generation owner, Bunzaburo Katayama, became independent and entered into the business of manufacturing high-grade kimono fabric with Shibori tie-dye decorations, especially Kyo Kanoko Shibori (Kyoto style fawn pattern tie-dye). The business flourished by virtue of his ardent and hard work for developing and manufacturing kimono fabric with tie-dye.

Bunzaburo believed that kimono should not be too flamboyant but should exude a discreet beauty that enhances completely the grace of the wearer.
His creations had relatively few patterns to produce an extremely simple and chic appearance that came to appeal to the fashion sense of those days. It didn’t take long before Katayama Bunzaburo Shoten started to receive a high reputation as the specialist of Shibori tie-dye.

One of Bunzaburo’s mottos was “Don't let your guard down even after a victory,” meaning “Never be proud of your success.” In fact his success led him to work even harder and more modestly. His sincere attitude continues even today and is respectfully cherished by every staff member.

The Kyo Kanoko Shibori tie-dye technique has a long tradition and has been handed down in Kyoto without cessation for over 1,000 years by a number of craftsmen.

In 1991, Katayama Bunzaburo Shoten achieved a breakthrough by creating a totally new item, “Aimu” - a glass plate which allows a thin piece of Japanese indigo-dyed hemp fabric to be sandwiched in the middle. Aimu received a high evaluation for its sophisticated design. Thanks to this experience, we realized that the combination of totally different materials in one item could create further beauty.
Since then, Katayama Bunzaburo Shoten set off on a new endeavor of not trying to produce something that could be commercially popular, but instead focusing on creating items that we, the manufacturers, believe are beautiful and bring pleasure to our hearts without sticking to any tried and true common practice.

Sadly, Japanese traditional attire is hardly seen in our daily life any more today and both Kimono and handmade Shibori tie-dye might be regarded as a style of the past. However, rather than being deterred by this, we are instead encouraged to produce innovative items that only Katayama Bunzaburo Shoten, as a specialist of Shibori, can offer to the world.

“Tradition exists in innovations.” The third generation president, Kazuo Katayama strongly believed in these words.
While we continue to follow the conventional tradition of Shibori tie-dye technique for kimono fabric, Katayama Bunzaburo Shoten will never stop challenging to produce new items that fit the present lifestyle. We believe that Shibori tie-dye has limitless possibilities and would like the world to know of its beauty.

Shibori tie-dye’s concave-convex characteristics achieve unique and even sometimes daring designs and form a fusion of fashion and art - a brand-new “Wearable Art.”

In 2015, Katayama Bunzaburo Shoten celebrates its 100th anniversary.

With the hope of offering opportunities for more people to appreciate and enjoy the exquisite beauty of Shibori tie-dye, our challenge for the next centenary is to present new “Wearable Art” items that will make the wearer an art piece him/herself.

Succeeding the legacy of the first generation founder, Bunzaburo Katayama, we will suggest new ideas and ways of enjoying life with our Shibori tradition from Kyoto.

Shop Info

Shop name :

BUNZABURO

Address :

221 Hashibenkeicho Takoyakusidori Karasuma Nishiiru Nakagyoku Kyoto, 604-8151, Japan

Fax :

+81 75 221 3939

Mail :

[email protected]