OUTSIDE MALAYSIA—in Japan, for example—there is a quiet but growing interest in our local textiles. But what is it about our batik, Nyonya kebaya and baju kurung that captures the interest of fashion enthusiasts in Japan?

In this article, Penang Monthly explores how Japanese and Malaysian textiles overlapped in history. We also speak to several Japanese collectors of Malaysian traditional costumes, and explore how these crafts are being reinterpreted in Japanese fashion.

Textile Crossroads: A Shared Heritage From India to Southeast Asia and Japan

In the 15th century, India began to export chintz, derived from the Hindi word chint, which means “spotted”. The Indian chintz is a colourful, floral-patterned cotton cloth that is hand-painted or woodblock-printed. Before its mass popularity in Europe and North America in the 18th century, the Portuguese had traded in it with China, Indonesia and Japan.[1]

Sarasa (更紗), the Japanese term for the Indian chintz, is believed to have been introduced to Japan at the beginning of the 17th century.[2] The vibrant patterns and colours of the Indian chintz were deemed rare and exotic, and as such, were admired by the Japanese. Demand for it increased, but being a luxury item, it was only accessible to the upper class.

During the late Edo period, in 1820, imports of the sarasa dwindled and ceased following Japan’s Seclusion Policy. However, skilled Japanese artisans at the time had begun developing a locally made and more affordable version of the Indian sarasa. The Edo sarasa, as it was called, incorporated Japanese motifs, and slowly spread to different regions, which in turn evolved their own unique variations.[3]

Down south in the 14th century, the Ryukyu Kingdom was also actively trading goods with Southeast Asia, including Siam, Melaka and Java, as well as with China and Korea. Besides spices and other goods, it is recorded that cotton prints and art from Southeast Asia were also being traded.[4] These trading partners heavily influenced the motifs and dyeing techniques of the Okinawan bingata—a garment exclusively worn by the royalty and the warrior class— which (unsurprisingly) resembles batik.

Centuries after these fabrics were first traded, they are now being reinterpreted to suit the modern-day man and woman.

Oto Furukawa–Blending the Baju Kurung and the Yukata

Oto Furukawa is an editorial writer and Malaysian cuisine specialist. After spending four years working in a Japanese publishing company in KL, she returned to Japan and started WAU magazine[5], an online media outlet that introduces to Japanese audiences Malaysian food, tourism, art and culture. In 2017, they explored how elements from the baju kurung and the yukata[6] could come together to make a hybrid piece of garment.

Q: Tell us what inspired this project.

In 2017, we were looking to raise funds for WAU magazine. Since my team and I are passionate about introducing Malaysian culture to the Japanese community, doing a crossover of the baju kurung and the yukata seemed like a good crowdfunding initiative. We had not seen this done before, so it was a novelty. Our aim was to sell three sets each of the yukata and the baju kurung, and we were pleased that we managed to meet our crowdfunding target!

Q: How did you make the batik yukata?

The designs and motifs of the batik are so beautiful, and rarely seen in Japan, so we wanted to incorporate them into Japanese traditional attire. We made a yukata using batik fabric sourced from Melaka, and brought them with us to Tokyo. There, we worked with a Japanese tailor, who was an expert in making yukatas and kimonos, and had the batik fabrics hand-sewn into yukata.

Q: How did you make the yukata baju kurung?

Likewise, we purchased three rolls of yukata fabric, called tanmono, from a Japanese kimono store in Nihonbashi. We brought them back to Malaysia and worked with a tailor in Johor to make the baju kurung. The process was an interesting challenge—a roll of tanmono typically makes one female yukata, this makes adapting it for the baju kurung more difficult than anticipated. Our tailor needed to get creative, sewing the tanmono together while ensuring the floral motifs could be seen on the main body of the baju kurung.

A bolt of tanmono measures 12m in length and 36cm in width, and one roll of the fabric is usually cut into the eight parts that make up the kimono or yukata.[7]

Q: How popular is batik among modern Japanese?

In Japan, batik is commonly known as the Javanese sarasa (ジャワ更紗). It certainly is very niche, and is appreciated by a small group of older Japanese, who are still passionate about preserving the kimono culture.

Ai Watanabe and Misato Igarashi–Kebaya as Urban Outerwear

Just as modern fashion has adapted the Japanese kimono into a form of outerwear, some Japanese don the Nyonya kebaya blouse in the same way.

Ai Watanabe and Misato Igarashi are modern Tokyoites who love travelling and exploring different cultures. They enjoy elevating their everyday outfits by integrating elements of traditional Peranakan wear, such as by wearing the blouse of the Nyonya kebaya as a jacket and pairing it with jeans.

Q: When did you first encounter the Nyonya kebaya?

Ai Watanabe: I learned about it through my friend, Misato Igarashi. While travelling in Melaka, I found a shop selling Nyonya kebaya.

Misato Igarashi: I’ve always loved looking out for traditional clothing and local patterns whenever I travel. During my trip to Singapore, I learned about the kebaya. Since then, I’ve loved embroidered clothes—it was love at first sight.

Q: What drew you to the Nyonya kebaya?

AW: I found it very attractive, and especially elegant with the sarong. It makes me feel happy and energetic.

MI: I was moved by the delicate embroidery, the floral patterns and the bright colours.

Q: How popular is the Nyonya kebaya among the Japanese?

AW: I haven’t seen people wearing the kebaya much in Japan, but there is a very niche community that does know about it and like it.

MI: The kebaya is not so common here yet, but being so cute and attractive, it definitely has the potential to be popular!

Miki Tampo of The Beautiful World of Peranakan in the Malay Peninsula

Another Japanese who is an active proponent of Peranakan culture is Miki Tampo, a researcher and writer who resided in Penang. Her interest began in Singapore, where she lived and worked for 15 years. On top of publishing The Beautiful World of Peranakan in the Malay Peninsula, which introduces the culture to the Japanese, she was also invited to speak at the Sarong Kebaya Exhibition in Tokyo, a joint event organised by Singapore-Japan Diplomatic Relations, in 2016.[8]

For centuries, textiles have crossed borders through trade, and now via personal encounters. As each person wears them, and writes and shares about them, the story continues.

For those of us in Malaysia, this is a quiet but pleasant reminder that what feels everyday to us might be seen elsewhere as rare, radiant and worth celebrating. Perhaps this is how we can revive and raise local interest in our art and culture—by looking at it through foreign eyes.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Chintz | Encyclopedia of Art | Textiles

[2] Yuzuruha, Oyama. “The Textile Exchange Between Japan and India During the 16th and 19th Centuries.” Tokyo National Museum.

[3] Kaji Antiques. The Charm of Edo Sarasa

[4] Sakamaki, Shunzō. “Ryukyu and Southeast Asia.” The Journal of Asian Studies 23, no. 3 (1964): 383–89. https://doi. org/10.2307/2050757

[5] WAU | hatimalaysia.com

[6] A yukata is a casual, lightweight Japanese kimono made of linen or cotton. A sash, called an obi, is tied around the waist. It is a traditional costume for both genders; women’s yukata is designed with more floral motifs, while men’s yukata bears minimalist designs.

[7] Hirota Tsumugi. “The Size of ’Tanmono’ Kimono Fabric Bolt.” Hirota Tsumugi Blog, January 7, 2019. https:// hirotatsumugi.jp/blogen/ post-5579.

[8] Tampo, Miki. “Our Nippon Nyonya Fans.” The Peranakan, no. 2, 2016, pp. 34–35. The Peranakan Association Singapore. https://peranakan.org.sg/magazine/2016/PA22016.pdf.