The Story of My First Negotiation for a Photo Shoot

This time, I would like to write about how I negotiated a photo shoot with a craftsman who was not a family member 📷

Please read the details of my activities here ↓

In my previous article, I wrote about photographing my father.
Because he was family, it was relatively easy to arrange the logistics and schedule for the shoot, and I didn't feel very nervous.

However, from here on out,
I have to go out and ask for a photo shoot from someone I have never met and have no connection with.
The moment I thought about that, I couldn't stop feeling nervous and anxious.
If I just wait, no one will come to me,
and I realized once again that nothing starts unless I take action myself,
and that it takes so much courage to do so.

Then, one week after the shoot with my father,
I went to negotiate a photo shoot with a craftsman I had never met for the first time.

Encountering Arimatsu Shibori

When it comes to traditional crafts in Aichi Prefecture,
the first thing that came to my mind wasArimatsu Shibori.
I immediately looked up Arimatsu Shibori, and since I also wanted to try it, I decided to participate in a shibori workshop first.

What came up immediately when I searched for shibori workshops was
a shop called "Arimatsu Kogei".
The owner,Masatsugu Hamashima, is the 7th generation of a shibori shop that has continued for generations since the Edo period, and I really wanted to hear his stories about shibori,
so I immediately booked a shibori workshop.

Click here for the shibori dyeing experience at Arimatsu Kogei ↓

Off to Arimatsu Town

On January 10, 2026, the day of the experience, I arrived in Arimatsu Town by taking city buses, feeling nervous about visiting a place for the first time.

While feeling anxious about whether I was on the right path while looking at the map,
I found the Arimatsu Kogei shop on the way up a small hill to the south from the old Tokaido Road in Arimatsu Town.

When I opened the door with a short noren curtain dyed in the shape of the characters "Arimatsu Shibori," I saw some kind of liquid boiling in separate pots on a gas stove right by the entrance.

Then, Mr. Hamashima welcomed me from the back with a gentle smile,
and turned on the heater, saying, "It must be cold, right?"
The workshop that day was just me, one-on-one with Mr. Hamashima.

Before the workshop, Mr. Hamashima taught me the history of Arimatsu Shibori.
This was such interesting content, and I found myself listening intently to Mr. Hamashima's captivating way of speaking.
Of course, the workshop itself was fun, but
this history lesson was even more interesting, to the point where I wanted to tell my family and friends about it immediately.

The History of Arimatsu Shibori

The origins of Arimatsu Shibori date back to the end of the Edo period, around the time Nagoya Castle was being built.
Also,there is a deep connection between Nagoya Castle and Arimatsu Shibori, and I feel that if it hadn't been built, Arimatsu Shibori might not have been born.

Although it is now called Arimatsu-cho and attracts enough people to be a tourist destination,
at the time, there was not even a single person or town there.
However, the old Tokaido road passed through that area,
and when Nagoya Castle was being built, feudal lords and construction craftsmen from all over Japan would travel along that road,
so the Owari Domain decided to create a new town along this road,Shinmachi (New Town, later changed to Arimatsu)to boost the area, and they recruited settlers.
The eight people who decided to move there tried various businesses to liven up the town, but things did not go well.

In the midst of this, one of the settlers,
Shokuro Takeda, caught sight of the indigo-dyed kimonos worn by the feudal lords visiting from Kyushu.Feeling that "this is it," Shokuro began tie-dyeing using familiar hand towels, and it became a

huge hit.Travelers bought them as souvenirs, and it is said that they sold as fast as they could be made.

Partly due to the land being blessed with cotton fabric and indigo dyeing,
Narumi and Arimatsu gradually developed into a famous production center for indigo dyeing.
Also, Aichi Prefecture is currently one of the leading cotton production areas in the country,
and it is said that Nishio City, which was purchasing indigo at the time, also flourished from indigo cultivation before it became famous for matcha..

Since then, due to changes in the times,
Arimatsu tie-dye has faced the crisis of decline many times, but the craftsmen have overcome it each time by creating new techniques and products to suit the occasion.
As a result, the techniques of Arimatsu dyeing have exceeded 100 types and are still being passed down today.

The charm of being passed down

I was strongly drawn to this story.
I felt a great sense of romance in the fact that culture, technology, and human activities from hundreds of years ago are still being passed down today while changing their form.
And I realized that tradition has been protected not by "not changing," but by
"
continuing to change with the times."

While actually interviewing the craftsmen,
they also mentioned that "it has become an era where you cannot make a living just by dyeing."
They seemed to be facing severe real-world problems, such as not being able to afford to pay salaries even if they wanted to train apprentices,
or products not selling well even when they tried to develop them.

And I felt that in order for the craftsmen to pass on their techniques,
it was first necessary to increase the demand for traditional crafts themselves,
so I became strongly interested in how retail and communication should be handled.

How can tradition be passed on?
How can technology be connected to the next generation?

That question is connected to my current major interest.

And then, to the negotiation for the photo shoot

After listening to the story and finishing the experience,
Mr. Hamajima served me warm tea and sweets.

He told me many other things, such as stories from when he was a child and how, until a little while ago, there were people doing tie-dyeing everywhere.

During that time, there were many opportunities for me to start talking about the photo shoot, but I couldn't find the courage to start.

While I was doing that, it started to feel like it was time to leave.

I felt that if I didn't say it here, I would never be able to say it, and the activities I had decided to do would not progress,
so I was finally able to bring up the photo shoot.

Even though I should have summarized what I needed to say, such as the content of my activities and the motivation behind them, before visiting Arimatsu Kogei,
the words didn't come out smoothly, and I became increasingly anxious, but Mr. Hamajima listened to me until the end.

Thanks to that, I was gradually able to speak calmly, and in the end, it seemed that my thoughts on my activities were conveyed,
and he readily agreed to the photo shoot.

Since there was no time left on the day I experienced it, the shoot was scheduled for another day, but
instead, there was a place called "Itowa" a little way down the hill from Arimatsu Kogei,
and Mr. Hamajima gave me a push, saying,
"Try asking the young owner there for a photo shoot; I don't think they will refuse."

I visited Itowa right after that and ended up being allowed to take photos, but...
I will introduce the continuation of this story in another Note.

I never thought that not only would he agree to the photo shoot, but he would also introduce me to another craftsman,
so I felt from the bottom of my heart that I was really glad I had gathered the courage to tell him.

Finally

By listening to Mr. Hamashima and actually experiencing shibori dyeing, I was able to feel the depth of shibori dyeing.

Also, I feel like I have come to understand a little bit about the reality behind the prices of crafts that I couldn't see just by looking at them lined up in shops.
I learned that what looks like a simple pattern is actually each tied by hand, that the texture of the fabric only reveals itself over time, and that the technique is actually connected to a deep history; experiencing these things with my five senses made them feel real.

And my desire to preserve not only Arimatsu shibori but also other traditional crafts as the pride of Japan has grown stronger.
With this thought in my heart, I intend to continue my activities.
Thank you for reading until the end.

I would like to express my gratitude once again to Arimatsu Kogei for their cooperation with the photo shoot.

Arimatsu Kogei Shibori Dyeing Experience Reservation

Arimatsu Kogei Google Map