In the Circle of Forest, Ocean, and People.
July 2021, we traveled to Tokushima, on the island of Shikoku.
The purpose of the trip was Aizome(indigo dyeing) — to hand-dye the patterns for our swimwear ourselves.
Aizome is known as Japan’s oldest and most eco-friendly dyeing method.
During our visit, we learned that after dyeing, the fabric can be rinsed directly in the ocean or river to wash away the excess indigo. This is possible only because the dye is made from natural materials.
With chemical dyes, releasing wastewater into the sea would cause severe pollution — something unthinkable.
Indigo, on the other hand, has antibacterial and deodorizing properties and is now being rediscovered around the world as a sustainable natural dye.
We visited in Between Blues, an indigo dyeing studio overlooking the ocean in Kaiyō Cho — a name that means “the town where the sun rises from the sea.”
Its owner, Leki Nagahara, is a modern Aizome evangelist. A surfer himself, he beautifully connects Aizome with surf culture, sharing the beauty of nature and his local community through his work.
Before starting the dyeing process, Leki took us to a sacred local site — Todoroki Falls.
Since ancient times, waterfalls like this have been places of worship.
Surrounded by pure forest air, gentle mist, and beams of light forming occasional rainbows, I instinctively brought my hands together in prayer.
In that quiet moment, we felt the deep joy of being part of Japan — a culture that has always lived in harmony with nature.
Standing before the sacred waterfall, Leki shared something unforgettable:
“Have you heard the saying, ‘The sea is the mountain’s lover’?
The water from this waterfall flows into the river, and the river flows to the sea.
The ocean water then evaporates into clouds, which rain down upon the mountains, becoming waterfalls again.
Nature is always in circulation — but today, many people have forgotten that.
When the mountains cry, the sea cries too. And when the sea cries, so do the mountains.”
It was a moment that reawakened something long forgotten —
the connection between people and the living forest, now so distant in city life.
We realized how much we wanted to share that sense of natural circulation through the medium of swimwear.
At the Aizome studio overlooking nothing but the blue sea, we began dyeing under Leki’s guidance.
After completing the process, we washed the dyed fabric right in the ocean in front of the studio — returning it to nature.
Aizome uses fast-growing indigo plants that can be harvested two to three times a year. The leaves are dried and fermented by microorganisms into a natural dye called sukumo.
After dyeing, the fabric can be rinsed in the sea — that same seawater will eventually evaporate, fall as rain on the mountains, and nurture new indigo plants once again.
The process itself is a perfect circle — a reflection of nature’s rhythm.
This beautiful tradition reminded us of what truly matters.
Through our swimwear, we wanted to carry that message — in the way only eit swim can.
*Swimwear is fundamentally made with synthetic fibers due to the need for high functionality. Unfortunately, natural indigo dye cannot be used on the recycled polyester or recycled nylon fibers we use at eit swim, as the dye would wash out to some extent. For this collection, we dyed natural hemp fabric and then printed the design onto the swimwear.
*The plunge pool at Todoroki Falls is considered a sacred site and is off-limits. Please exercise caution if you visit.
*The indigo-dyed collection designed in Tokushima has already sold out.
Leki Nagahara / Aizome Artist
Born in Kaiyō Cho, Tokushima Prefecture. Founder of in Between Blues and Mitsuguruma Inc., and director of Surfrider Foundation Japan. After studying surfing, music, and art both in Japan and abroad, he rediscovered the beauty of indigo in his hometown. Through his seaside studio, he combines Aizome, the henro pilgrimage culture, and surf culture — creating works and spaces that connect people to the color blue, nature, and the spirit of Tokushima.