Japan · Textile / Resist Dyeing
筒描き (Tsutsugaki)
Tsutsugaki (筒描き — 'tube drawing') is the freehand resist paste drawing tradition of Japan — the rural counterpart to the court Yuzen tradition (CRAFT-0459), using the same rice-paste cone (nori-tsutsu) technique but applied freehand on indigo-dyed cotton to produce bold, graphic folk designs (cranes, pine trees, ships, family crests) for futon covers, banners, and festival objects. Where Yuzen itome is a hairline (0.5–1mm) applied with extreme care, tsutsugaki is a bold line (5–15mm) applied rapidly in single sweeping motions that translate directly into the flat graphic character of folk textile design. The cone is held at a greater angle to the cloth (60–70°) than Yuzen (90°) — the angle and the speed together determine the bold, confident line quality that cannot be achieved by painting. Large tsutsugaki futon covers are one of Japan's most distinctive folk art achievements.
Risk level: Critically Endangered · Not separately inscribed; recognized within Japanese folk craft heritage
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