Ryukyu Bingata is a resist-dyed textile which signified Okinawa, lasting for almost 400 years. The technique of resist-dye has reached Okinawa from China and Southeast Asia in the 14C to 15C, through the active international trades of Ryukyu Kingdom era. The technique developed within Okinawa, and the art of Bingata resist-dye, using stencil papers and bright color pigments, was established as Okinawa’s original.

During the Ryukyu Kingdom era, only those of the royal family or aristocratic class were allowed to wear Bingata, so after the kingdom’s fall, the technique gradually declined, and was severely affected by World War II. After the war, it was revived, and its beauty and technique is now protected and passed down as Okinawa’s identity.

琉球びんがた（紅型）は、約400年前から伝わる、沖縄を代表する染織物。14~15世紀に中国や東南アジアとの海外交易で栄えた琉球王朝に伝わった染色技術が、沖縄で独自に発展し、型紙と色あざやかな顔料を使った琉球びんがたの技術が確立しました。

王朝時代は王族や身分の高い人などしか着ることができなかった琉球びんがたは、明治維新や戦争により一時は失われた技術となりましたが、戦後ふたたび復興され、沖縄のアイデンティティとして昔ながらの技法を守り伝えています。

Kasuri is a Japanese term for “ikat”, which is a weaving technique said to have originated in India. It is a tie-dye technique in which patterns are created by tying the yarn before the dye, and the remaining white parts construct the pattern when it is weaved. The technique reached Okinawa from 14C-15C, during the trading with Southeast Asia and China in Ryukyu Kingdome era, and became the roots of the kasuri textiles of mainland Japan such as Kurume Kasuri and Satsuma kasuri in the 18C-19C.

In other kasuri production ares in Japan, machines were introduced for the tying and weaving process, but in Okinawa, it is still produced in the traditional technique, making them the largest production area of hand-tied and hand-woven kasuri (ikat) textile in Japan. Also, the pattern design of Ryukyu Kasuri has always benn based on the royal design book called “miezu”, and they still are the basis of the designs today. “Miezu” designs are derived from the nature, animals and everyday tools of Okinawa, expressing its unique flavor of culture and history.

絣（かすり）とは、インド発祥といわれる織りの技法の一つで、糸をあらかじめ縛って染めて、白く残ったところを織って模様を作る技法です。沖縄には14~15世紀頃に、琉球王朝の中国・東南アジアとの交易時代に技法が伝わったとされ、18~19世紀には日本本土にも技術が伝わり薩摩絣や久留米絣などのルーツともいわれます。

他の絣産地では機械による括りや織りも導入されましたが、琉球絣は現在も昔ながらの技法で作られており、日本最大の手括り・手織りの産地です。また琉球王府のデザイン集「御絵図帳」をもとに図案を創作しているのが特徴で、沖縄の自然・動植物・生活用品などをモチーフにされた模様は、独特の感覚と味わいを感じさせます。

Okinawa “aka-gawara” is a traditional roof tile made and used in Okinawa since the seventeenth century. This red unglazed roof tile is made of a raw material called “kucha”- a mudstone which is unique to Okinawa, and these roof tiles have became the identity of Okinawa’s traditional landscape.

During the Ryukyu Kingdom era, Okinawa “aka-gawara” red roof tiles were only allowed to be used for royal establishments, but in 1889 after the kingdom fell and became Okinawa Prefecture of Japan, the use of Okinawa red roof tiles were opened for the public. Nowadays, they are used widely for cultural heritages, public institutions and schools, hotels and resorts, business establishments and regular housing.

The makers of continuously challenging to preserve and pass down the traditional material and technique, while innovating new techniques and shapes to suit the modern needs, in order to protect the landscape and identity of Okinawa.

沖縄赤瓦は、17世紀頃から沖縄で作られ使われてきた、伝統的な屋根瓦です。沖縄だからこそ生まれた「クチャ」という泥岩を原料とした素焼きの赤瓦で、伝統的な沖縄の景観を生み出すアイデンティティとなっています。

もともと沖縄赤瓦は、首里城をはじめとして、琉球王府のみが使用を許されていましたが、廃藩置県後の1889年に禁止令が解かれ、広く一般にも普及しました。現在では文化財などの修復はもちろんのこと、学校や役所などの公共施設、ホテル・リゾートなどの商業施設、そして一般の住宅にいたるまで、幅広く使われるようになりました。

沖縄の景観を残していくために、沖縄赤瓦の作り手たちは、現代の新たなニーズにも対応できるように技術革新を続けながら、いまも伝統の素材と技術を守り伝えています。