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| "The Emperor's
Dye" |
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| Japan's world-class,
unique dye dating from 1,200 years ago |
"Korozen"is
the world's noblest dye along with "Kai-murasaki (Tyrian
purple)" . It is characterized by the various changes in color,
as are seen in an opal. It is also called the "dye of the sun" because
of its madder red color that appears the moment the light passes
through, just like an alexandrite.
It was the Saga Emperor in the Heian period (1,200 years ago) that
decided to replace purple with "Korozen" as the dye for the
primary formal dress for a royal ceremony. Ever since, "Korozen" was
passed down from age to age as the color for the emperors to wear
on solemn occasions. However, these characteristics remained scarcely
known because the knowledge was passed on only to very few people. |
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| Korozen : Color variation |
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| fluorescent
light |
sunlight |
transmitted
lightt |
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| Twenty years ago, Yusai,
as a researcher on dye techniques, looked into the Koryuji temple
in Kyoto where generations of "Korozen" are conserved, unraveled
its features, and finally succeeded in reproducing it. "Yume-korozome" or
"Dream Korozome", thus created, features a new color which
is more appealing to the modern age, while maintaining the dignity
of "Korozen". It changes its color from black to deep red,
from dark blue to burgundy, from green to brown, or from brown
to reddish brown, each concealing/revealing the dye of the sun.
It is such a unique, exquisite dye that Japan can boast it to the
world. |
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| Yusai investigation
in Koryu-ji temple |
Yume-korozome:
color change (fluorescent light >>> sunlight) |
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| Dye of the sun: The flaming-red sun appears when penetrated
by the light from the backside of the fabric, changing its
color from black to madder red. |
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Color variation:
The
color changes from dark blue to burgundy when the light shines
on the upper side of the fabric. |
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| model : Okazaki Takako (HIRATA
OFFICE) |
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| Copyrights(C)Yume Yusai Inc. |
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