Year-end greetings

Today was the last day of the year.
It was a very cold winter day, typical of Itoshiro, with the maximum temperature falling below zero.

The colder it is, the more beautiful the world is.

It was a morning that made me think that way, with the frost-covered trees and snowflakes sparkling.

When I think only about the cold, I wonder why people have come to live in such harsh land in the first place, but living here I often realize that even though there is nothing, there is everything, and that it is an environment perfect for living.

There is a god of Mt. Hakusan who has been worshiped and revered by people since the Jomon period.
The pure water that flows from the mountain provides life-giving water, and the fertile black soil nourishes the food we eat.
The bounty of the mountains is within reach and always ready to nourish us.

I fell in love with this place, moved to Itoshiro, and started Itoshiro Clothing Store, and this year marks my 10th anniversary. With each passing day, I feel the depth of this place and grow to love it even more.

What is Itoshiro-style clothing production?
What does it mean to create clothes in this place that can be worn with love?
How can we give meaning to the traditional clothing that has been passed down here in the present day?

I have repeatedly asked myself questions such as these.

I'm better at moving my body than thinking with my head.

While cultivating the soil to grow indigo in the fields,
While taking care of the jars for indigo dyeing,
While gathering materials for plant dyeing...

I always continue to "think on the move."

Maybe we'll understand something after 10 years, but maybe even after 10 years there will still be a lot we don't know.

Although right now we have a result that is the result of 10 years of accumulated effort, it is always a process and I will continue to move forward through trial and error. Therefore, I will continue to look forward and move forward tomorrow, next year and beyond, without forgetting that the joy is in enjoying the here and now, cherishing it, and spending it with a sense of fulfillment.

I have been able to continue this far thanks to everyone around me, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported and encouraged Ishiteshiro Clothing Store.

Thank you very much for your support this year.

We look forward to your continued support for Ishiteshiro Clothing Store in 2023, our 11th year.

We wish you a happy new year.

Kaori Hirano, Owner of Ishitoshiro Clothing Store

(The photo is of my third son at his Shichigosan ceremony when he was five years old. Thanks to you, they are all grown up and thriving as children of Itoshiro!)