Namban Sarasa
Namban Sarasa (南蛮更紗) refers to imported printed cotton textiles that entered Japan during the late 16th to early 17th centuries, primarily through trade with the Portuguese (南蛮, namban) and later the Dutch. The term “sarasa” itself originally designated Indian block-printed and resist-dyed cotton fabrics featuring repeating floral, geometric, and figural patterns. These imported textiles had a significant cultural impact in Japan and contributed directly to the development of domestic printed textile traditions including Edo Sarasa.
Historical Context
During the Azuchi–Momoyama and early Edo periods, Japanese ports such as Hirado and Nagasaki served as gateways for foreign textiles arriving from:
- South and Western India
- Persia (Safavid Empire)
- Southeast Asia
- The Islamic textile trade routes of the Indian Ocean
These fabrics were incorporated into the wardrobes of samurai, merchants, and tea practitioners, particularly those aligned with cultural trends emphasizing imported luxury goods.
The prestige of Namban Sarasa derived from:
- Vivid natural dye colors (particularly red, yellow, black, and indigo)
- Durable cotton cloth (unusual in Japan before widespread domestic cotton cultivation)
- The cultural value of objects associated with overseas travel and exoticism
Characteristics
Namban Sarasa textiles are identified by:
- Block-printed or resist-dyed repeating patterns
- Floral roundels, boteh (paisley-like) motifs, and arabesque elements
- Borders designed for garment components or furnishing use
- Deep saturated natural dyes derived from plant sources
These textiles combine South Asian, Islamic, and sometimes European stylistic influences, producing designs distinct from Japanese decorative conventions of the time.
Cultural Influence in Japan
Namban Sarasa played a key role in forming Japanese taste in printed textiles. They were used for:
- Tea ceremony accessories (fukusa, meibutsugire)
- Kimono linings and casual garments
- Wrapping cloths, bags, small personal goods
- Upholstery or decorative paneling in elite settings
The desire to reproduce these textiles domestically directly led to the development of Edo Sarasa, where Japanese artisans adapted foreign pattern logic into stencil-dyeing (katazome) and multi-stage resist processes.
Decline and Revival
With stricter trade controls under the Tokugawa shogunate and later shifts in global trade networks, large-scale importation decreased. However, interest in Namban Sarasa revived during the:
- Mingei movement of the early 20th century
- Modern museum exhibition and textile scholarship period
- Contemporary craft and fashion revivals emphasizing global textile histories
Today, Namban Sarasa survives in:
- Museum textile collections
- Antique tea ceremony textile holdings
- Small workshop reinterpretations inspired by historical fabrics
See also
References
- 日本民藝館 編『更紗の美』日本民藝協会, 2007.
- 京都国立博物館 編『南蛮文化と染織』京都, 2015.
- Victoria & Albert Museum, *Indian Chintz and Global Exchange*, London, 2018.
