The dress was prepared by the store manager, Ms. Dori, who said, "Since you have fair skin, light colors will suit you." It was a dress with a wave pattern drawn with silver silk threads on a light pink background. Gently unfolding the sleeves, you can see that it is woven three-dimensionally, as if cherry blossoms are floating in a circle on a black background. The three-dimensional effect created by the overlapping of the warp, jinuki ito (threads that control the fabric), and enuki ito (threads that control the pattern) is a Karaoori technique, which is a specialty of Eijiya Seizaemon. The way the sunlight shining through the large window reflected and glistened on the kimono was a moment when I honestly felt, "Oh, kimono is so beautiful!

Aside from the one item I tried on, the "eiziya ZOU" originals are a lineup of kimonos with a playful twist. The obi with the brand's name elephant woven into it, Moroccan patterned fabrics, and other designs that are easily adaptable to modern life are incorporated into the collection.

When it comes to trying on kimonos, most people are given a kimono to try on and visualize the finished product, but the "Seizaemon Kimono Experience" on September 19 (Sat) and 26 (Sat) will be a good opportunity for beginners to try on kimonos (*The 19th event is already fully booked.). (*Reservations are already fully booked for the 19th.) "Trying on a kimono does not necessarily mean buying one, but first we want you to experience firsthand the quality of authentic fabrics made in Kyoto, Japan," said owner Yozo Nagai. My impression of kimono changed a lot when I actually tried it on. If you are interested in the event, please check the official Instagram for updates.

Wearing a nice kimono is the first step to becoming a mature woman!" However, the reality is that you can't just say yes and buy a kimono. It is understandable that you feel this way. Why don't you start with reasonably priced sundries and introduce the "real thing" into your daily life?

Card cases, eyeglass cases, earrings, wallets, and other small items for daily use are lined up on the first floor. All of them are made using the many trial weaves (trial weaving of small quantities of fabrics to check color patterns and structure) that "Eijiya Seizaemon" has carefully woven, which only a textile manufacturer can do, as well as the original fabrics newly woven for ZOU. The products are not only classic designs, but also pastel colors that would fit in with a girl's everyday life, and a different kind of black color that is difficult to express with ordinary threads. Incorporating the "real thing" into daily life can be a motivating factor. I thought I could find a good-luck charm-like partner that would keep me going through my daily routine!

Finally, we asked the owner, Mr. Nagai, who is a long-established textile manufacturer that has been changing the image of kimono one after another in seven different ways, about his thoughts on the brand.

I was surprised to see how the kimono fabric blended in with the design of the products we use on a daily basis.

Ms. Nagai: Our parent company is a long-established textile manufacturer that has been in business for about 200 years, but we want to convey the Japanese weaving culture through a different approach rather than being attached to the "kimono. Our new brand "eiziya ZOU" is designed to be casual and rough products that can be used in daily life. The world of textiles is based on the division of labor, but we are able to create fabrics in any design and color by devising our own twisting, dyeing, and weaving processes, which are all done at our own factory.

Q: Do you sell general goods other than ZOU without being bound by the framework of your own textiles?

Ms. Nagai: We also sell products from creators in other industries to express how they fit into daily life. For example, I fell in love at first sight with the tableware made by Utsukugama in Kanazawa, and went to their studio deep in the mountains to purchase it. The logo of "eiziya ZOU" is made by collapsing the character for "three" in my name, and I hope that this brand will grow as a third party that connects makers and customers, craftsmen and customers. Starting in the fall, I plan to invite artisans to workshops and social events about once a month, so please join us.

Just hearing the phrase "long-established textile shop," I was a little defensive, but that all changed the moment I entered the store. I was fascinated by the fashionable sundries and the Moroccan-style kimonos, and my image of "textiles" was changed. Even if it is difficult to buy, I can use authentic textile products in my daily life. It has become commonplace to easily replace fast fashion items with new ones, but it seems like a good idea to start a careful lifestyle with possessions that can last for a long time. Everyone should first stop by and feel the cuteness of the diverse [eiziya ZOU] textiles, which are exciting just to look at.