Society

Indigo Dye Production Hits Peak Season in Tokushima

Tokushima, Jul 06 (News On Japan) - The production of sukumo, the fermented indigo dye used in traditional Japanese textiles, is now in full swing in Kamiita, Tokushima Prefecture.

At a local facility, freshly harvested indigo leaves are fed into a machine that finely shreds them. A large fan then separates the leaf from the stem by weight—lighter leaves are blown further away while the heavier stems fall close to the machine, allowing for clean separation.

Tokushima is renowned as a major production area for indigo, and the process of making sukumo begins with this stage known as aikonashi, or leaf pulverization.

Once separated, the collected leaves are left to dry for two to three days, during which they turn a deep green color. The full process of sukumo-making continues through December.

Source: MBS

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

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Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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