Member Introduction Vol. 9: Ryosuke Nakahata
- Where are you from?
Nara City, Nara Prefecture.
- What brought you here?
Tayou Nishimura, a certified instructor of Nara's tatsuke, was the catalyst, and through various connections, I later encountered Itoshiro Yohinten.
- How long have you lived in Itoshiro?
One year and four months.
- How do you find life in Itoshiro?
I feel that it's a place with distinct seasons. Even with what people call abnormal weather, you can clearly sense the different seasons. It's fun to watch them change. Each season, when it arrives, makes me feel like it might be my favorite. Nature is truly abundant here.
- What kind of work do you do at Itoshiro Yohinten?
I'm involved in indigo dyeing and farm work for cultivating indigo. I also handle shipping for the online shop.
- How do you like working with indigo dyeing?
Indigo dyeing involves sensing and interpreting the signs that invisible microorganisms, living within the indigo vat, produce as colors. That's indigo dyeing. I'm fascinated by the glimpse into such mystery.
Honestly, I don't know what's happening behind the scenes. It's challenging because a precise solution isn't immediately obvious.
It makes me happy to receive joyful messages from customers when I dye items they've ordered. When I see an indigo-dyed product I like, and I realize someone else feels the same way, appreciating the color just as I do, it's a moment of shared understanding that brings me great joy. That's the real pleasure of it.
- Do you have any future plans?
I hope to expand the indigo field so we can produce sukumo (indigo compost) every year. Currently, we don't have enough, so we're importing some sukumo from Tokushima.
Also, I'm the type who takes time to get to know people, so I want to improve my communication skills to be able to open up more easily from the very first meeting. I need to work on that.
- What's your recommended clothing item?
The Echizen Linen Unbleached Long Shirt. I'm 183cm tall and wear size 4.
Until now, the long-length shirts were only available in cotton, not linen. As summers have gotten hotter, the airy, thin linen is comfortably cool. Since it's long-sleeved, I think it can be worn even in winter.
And I wear the dyed version of this when I'm working. It dyes really beautifully.
- Do you have a message for visitors to Itoshiro?
The sounds of insects, the sounds of birds. I'm sure you have them in the city too, but aren't you often too busy to notice? I want you to feel, listen to, and experience the sounds that animals make. By the way, the way sounds disappear in winter is also nice. The snow blocks them out, and it becomes quiet.
- Thank you very much! In a workplace with many women, you, Ayasuke-kun, being a young man, are a very reassuring presence. As an indigo dyer, let's continue to work hard together, starting from the field!
