Moppanzome （Block printing） is a famous dyeing technique in Japan. Although it was introduced from India in the old days, the technology has been inherited in Japan, and various items are produced. Therefore, in this article, we will introduce an overview and recommended items about woodblock printing.
What is Moppanzome （Block printing）?
Moppanzome （Block printing） is a type of stencil dyeing, a technique in which dye is applied to a woodblock engraved with a pattern and pressed onto a piece of cloth to express the pattern.
The major difference from katazome, which uses molds made of Japanese paper, is that the size of the piece of wood used for Moppanzome （Block printing） is only 3 to 10 cm square. It takes a great deal of time and effort to carve a detailed pattern on a small piece of wood and then press the pattern onto the cloth one by one.
As a result, the number of craftsmen doing Moppanzome （Block printing） today is decreasing year by year, so much so that its future survival is in jeopardy.
Recommended items from Moppanzome (Block printing)
We are pleased to introduce a limited number of Moppanzome (Block printing) items being handled in Japan.
Stuffed wild bird made by Moppanzome (Block printing)
These plush toys are produced by Shinkogei, which has a workshop in Hida Takayama, Japan, and are hand-dyed by Moppanzome （Block printing）. The raw cotton is dyed, then steamed at high temperatures for color fastening, stuffed with rice husks, and carefully stitched together.
The wild bird series includes pheasants, mountain birds, woodpeckers, mozuku, uso, mountain sparrows, ruris, shijuhaku, komadori, and igusu, so that it is difficult to narrow it down to just one favorite. I would like to collect more than one.
| 商品名 | 木版手染ぬいぐるみ 野鳥 |
| 価格（税込） | 1,056〜1,320円 |
| 商品ページURL | https://shop.sippo-4.com/?pid=156478652 |
| 店舗名 | お食事と日用品と古道具 四歩 |
| 店舗ホームページURL | https://shop.sippo-4.com |
Gauze handkerchief by Moppanzome (Block printing)
This woodblock-dyed gauze handkerchief depicts a scene often seen in the gardens of Kyoto’s machiya houses. They are purposely sewn in a rectangular shape instead of a square, allowing you to enjoy the gentle texture unique to woodblock prints as it is.
There are five patterns in total, and the set comes in a combination of two pieces of your choice, so you can enjoy various designs depending on your mood of the day.
| 商品名 | ガーゼハンカチ 2枚セット送料無料 手ぬぐい MOKUHAN ふんわりてぬぐい ガーゼ 手拭い 日本製 綿100％ まとめ買い 晒し マスク生地 タオル TAKEZASADO 竹笹堂 |
| 価格（税込） | 1,210円 |
| 商品ページURL | https://item.rakuten.co.jp/etizenya/w-samue-tokka/ |
| 店舗名 | 北陸のきもの問屋 越前屋 |
| 店舗ホームページURL | https://www.rakuten.co.jp/etizenya/ |
Summary
This article provided an overview and recommended items about the famous Japanese dyeing technique Moppanzome (Block printing). Unfortunately, the majority of Mokuhanzome items are made in India, where it is originated, but there are still some rare Japanese-made Mokuhanzome items by a limited number of craftsmen.