Southern Okayama Prefecture was once a major production area for igusa (rush grass).
Igusa is a plant used to make tatami mats and woven rush mats.
Growing, dyeing, and weaving igusa in Kurashiki, then selling and shipping it nationwide is Toshifumi Imayoshi.
He has crossed the boundaries between jobs that were traditionally divided among different people, working tirelessly to preserve Kurashiki’s igusa industry.
We took an in-depth look at harvesting and dyeing igusa, as well as weaving hanagoza mats.
Here we introduce the brand “IGUSA LABO,” launched by Imayoshi, and its activities.
The information presented here was accurate when the article was published in December 2021. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is IGUSA LABO?
IGUSA LABO is a brand built around the theme of “igusa in everyday life.”
Imayoshi grows the igusa and personally sees it through to the finished product.
Imayoshi is the fifth-generation owner of Kurashiki Igusa Imayoshi Shoten, which manufactures igusa products, and the representative of IGUSA LABO.
“The cultivation and processing techniques associated with igusa must not be lost.”
With this conviction, he creates products with great care.
IGUSA LABO’s sleeping mats
IGUSA LABO’s top recommended product is its “sleeping mat.”
A sleeping mat is a woven igusa mat placed on top of a futon for sleeping.
It absorbs moisture well, soaking up sweat, and is known for its refreshing feel against the skin.
The scent of igusa is said to enhance relaxation.
The igusa used in IGUSA LABO’s sleeping mats is grown in fields managed by Imayoshi, using fertilizers and pesticides that meet food safety standards.
Can you see the stripes?
They make use of the natural difference in color between the base and tips of the igusa.
Also, the mats do not undergo the “mud-dyeing” process used in conventional igusa processing.
Mud-dyeing is the process of soaking igusa in mud to improve its color. It softens discoloration caused by sun exposure and increases the durability of the igusa.
However, during processing, mud-dyeing releases fine clay powder called sendo. Since sendo can damage the throat and lungs, many igusa producers reportedly develop lung diseases.
When igusa is mud-dyed, a small amount of sendo also remains in the finished product.
Wanting to make products that are “as good for the body as possible,” Imayoshi uses only undyed igusa—that is, igusa that has not been mud-dyed—at IGUSA LABO.
Sleeping mats made with “undyed” igusa retain its natural texture, and feel pleasant to the touch.
They are also woven on a dedicated loom, allowing them to gently conform to the body.
Because they touch the skin directly in hot weather, these sleeping mats are carefully made to be safe to use and to let you experience the full benefits of igusa.
Where to buy IGUSA LABO products
At “Igusaya Hanamushiro” in the Bikan Historical Area, you can find a wide range of IGUSA LABO products, from sleeping mats and hanagoza mats to café mats and coasters.
When we visited Hanamushiro, its manager, Kusudo, told us:
“The igusa Imayoshi grows is really good. The spongy tissue inside is firm. The sleeping mats in particular are top quality. You only realize it when you touch them.”
Some products are also available through the “IGUSA LABO Online Shop,” but be sure to visit Igusaya Hanamushiro and feel the products for yourself.
The history of igusa and woven rush mats in Okayama and Kurashiki
The history of igusa in Kurashiki dates back about 1,800 years, to the late Yayoi period.
According to legend, when Empress Jingu stopped at a shrine in the Sho district of Kurashiki City, she had a beautiful grass growing nearby woven into a mat and liked it so much that this grass is said to have been igusa.
Here is a brief introduction to the history of igusa and woven rush mats in Okayama Prefecture and Kurashiki City.
| Period | Events |
|---|---|
| Yayoi period | A woven rush mat is presented to Empress Jingu |
| Nara period | The Imperial Court recognizes the skill of Bizen’s igusa weavers |
| Edo period | Land reclamation in Kurashiki gathers pace. Cotton and igusa, which grow well even in soil with high salt content, are widely cultivated. Tatami mats made from processed igusa, together with tatami edging, earn high acclaim nationwide. |
| Meiji period | Igusa-dyeing techniques are established in Kurashiki, and hanagoza mats flourish. They become export goods with a global market. |
| Meiji to early Showa period | Okayama Prefecture becomes Japan’s top producer of igusa |
| Late Showa period | Okayama Prefecture’s production declines after peaking in 1964 |
Hanagoza are woven rush mats with patterns woven from dyed igusa.
Hanagoza mats, which originated in Kurashiki, grew into an important export product by the Meiji period.
As of 2021, Okayama Prefecture produces only a small amount of igusa, but advanced processing techniques are still passed down in Kurashiki.
See the harvesting, dyeing, and weaving process
Igusa is planted around December, then harvested and dried the following July.
The dried igusa is then dyed and processed.
We covered the harvesting and drying in July, and the dyeing and weaving in October.
Harvesting igusa
Work began at 4:30 in the morning.
The sun had only just begun to rise, and all around was still asleep.
Three people, including helpers, harvested the crop in a field in the Sho district of Kurashiki City.
They removed the net that had been used to keep the igusa from falling over, then pulled out the stakes.
They checked the condition of the soil and decided which areas to harvest by hand and which by machine.
They began by harvesting by hand.
The sickles made a crisp swishing sound as they worked quickly.
Apparently, there is a knack to moving the sickle so the tips of the igusa do not get tangled.
They sifted out weeds and stalks that were shorter than the required length from the harvested bundles.
They tied the sorted bundles of igusa with string.
Freshly harvested igusa is a vivid green.
When touched, it felt glossy and moist, full of water.
The harvesting machine sorts the igusa by length as it gathers it, and automatically bundles it.
They loaded the bundles onto a truck and moved them to the drying facility.
Generally, igusa is mud-dyed before drying.
IGUSA LABO does not mud-dye its igusa, so the freshly harvested stalks go straight into the dryer.
The bundles were stood upright and packed tightly so air could circulate.
They are dried slowly over an extended period.
Some are dried in the sun.
Once dried this way, the rushes turn a greenish beige, as shown in the photo below, and become crisp.
The harvesting and drying of the rushes began early in the morning.
In the midsummer rice fields, they bent over and walked carrying rushes.
Imayoshi and the others worked intently with the rushes, wiping away their sweat again and again.
Dyeing the Rushes
In late October, we were shown how rushes are dyed and woven at a workshop in a corner of Nishi-Achi-cho, Kurashiki City.
That day, they planned to dye the rushes a pale blue.
The dyes themselves looked maroon and yellowish green. Looking at the dyes alone, it was hard to imagine the finished color.
After dissolving the dye by hand, they put it into a vat and mix it.
They put bundles of dried rushes into the vat and move them around so they are dyed evenly.
The dyeing is done amid clouds of rising steam.
It looks very hot.
Once the rushes are dyed, they are dried in the sun.
Rushes are generally tied near the roots before dyeing, but at IGUSA LABO they tie them near the tips.
This is because several centimeters are cut off where they are tied, so tying them near the tips allows them to preserve and use as much of the sturdy root end as possible.
Because they grow and process the rushes themselves, perhaps they can come up with their own methods instead of being bound by conventional practices.
Apparently, the color of freshly dyed rushes changes considerably once they are dry.
The freshly dried rushes on the right side of the photo below will turn the same blue as the hanagoza mat being held, once they are fully dry.
Weaving Hanagoza Mats
Next, we toured the inside of the workshop.
Several looms are lined up in the workshop.
The looms used by Imayoshi are of two types, distinguished by the mechanism for weaving patterns: one uses boards made by joining wooden pegs together, and the other uses cards with holes punched in them.
We were shown how hanagoza mats are woven on a loom that uses cards.
The rushes are cut to length by color and set on the loom.
When the switch was turned on, a rhythmic clacking sound rang out, and the mat gradually took shape.
It must be hard to handle everything from growing rushes to processing them alone.
What motivates him to work with rushes?
We spoke with Imayoshi.
IGUSA LABO Information
| Organization | IGUSA LABO |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rush cultivation; manufacture and sale of rush products |
| Representative | Imayoshi Toshifumi |
| Established | May 2018 |
| Address | 1007-33 Nishi-Achi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 090-9502-4376 |
| Website | IGUSA LABO |
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