‘Kogin-sashi’, Japanese Needlework that’s Made to Last

Kogin-sashi is a kind of sashiko needlework, which is itself a form of traditional embroidery done by hand and developed during the Edo period.

Historically, kogin-sashi was used to repair or ‘decorate’ an old, worn-out piece of clothing. The first practitioners of this kind of sewing were women living in remote villages in the Tsugaru region (Aomori prefecture in northern Japan) which receive heavy snowfall. Farmers developed the technique out of necessity, to make their hemp garments warmer and more durable. It then became an artisanal activity.

As time passed, the function of kogin-sashi became purely aesthetic. The basic pattern used is called modoko and there are about forty kinds of it. By combining them, bigger and more beautiful geometric patterns are created. Japanese Brand Tohoku Standard, which makes its clothes by hand, is continuing the tradition and making garments using this technique.