ABOUT US
BRAND STORY
RE-DYEING
Reinventing tradition and connecting it to the future.
KISTUAI (Indigo Dyeing) Indigo dyeing is a traditional dyeing culture that Japan is proud of.
This deep, clear blue has been passed down through generations thanks to the natural beauty of Tokushima and other areas and the skills of artisans.
However, in modern times, indigo is facing challenges such as a decline in demand for traditional Japanese clothing, the aging of artisans, and a lack of successors, and is gradually losing its presence in everyday scenes. Opportunities to come into contact with indigo are limited to dyeing experiences and exhibitions, and for many people it has become a "distant culture."
KISTUAI is a brand that creates a new gateway to indigo culture.
What we offer is a tobacco-free, nicotine-free shisha flavor made with natural indigo leaves.
Smell, taste, touch, sound, and sight: this is an unprecedented multi-sensory cultural experience where you can experience indigo through all five senses.
Indigo dyeing = dyeing fabric. Indigo smoking = dyeing people. With each inhale, a gentle, sweet scent reminiscent of tatami mats and rush grass spreads.
It is not just a hobby, but a time to learn about culture, connect with the local community, and pass it on to the future.
By creating new demand for indigo leaves, KISTUAI aims to build a model for collaboration with indigo farmers and artisans and for nurturing successors.
Additionally, by communicating the stories of indigo dyeing artists and production areas through packaging and events, the brand value of "indigo" will be redefined in the context of modern culture. "Inhale and Learn Indigo" will become a new experience resource for tourism, art, and lifestyle events, and will spread both domestically and internationally.
Traditions cannot be passed on simply by preserving them.
Evolving, resonating in the present, and re-dying for the future. The indigo we absorb will dye the future of indigo dyeing.
KISTUAI continues to be at the forefront
MISSION
Through the experience of "kitsuai" (drinking indigo), indigo is redefined not as a "dye" but as "culture, sensation, and time."
We will create an entrance that allows people to naturally come into contact with, feel, and remember indigo culture through the five senses, not just sight, but also smell, taste, touch, and sound.
VALUE
1. CULTURE
Inheritance and expansion of indigo culture
3. VALUE CREATION
Value creation born from culture
4. Sustainable Business
Establishing a sustainable business model
2. MULTI SENSORY
A new form of indigo experienced with all five senses
5. GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Communicating from a global perspective
1. CULTURE
Inheritance and expansion of indigo culture
It's not just the indigo dyeing technique, but the background to it
"Indigo culture" itself, including its philosophy, lifestyle, and aesthetic sense
Connecting to the next generation.
We will build a cultural ecosystem where producers, artisans, and participants circulate.
2. MULTI SENSORY
A new form of indigo experienced with all five senses
Starting with shisha, we have created a new experience of "smoking indigo" that has never been seen before.
We designed a multi-sensory experience that involves seeing, smelling, tasting, touching and listening.
Engrave indigo into your body not as "knowledge" but as "a feeling."
3. VALUE CREATION
Value creation born from culture
While preserving culture, we aim to create a space that is in harmony with modern lifestyles and wellness.
Creating new connected value.
The experience itself is turned into a product and elevated into a sustainable model.
4. Sustainable Business
Establishing a sustainable business model
By turning experiences into businesses, we can build a sustainable relationship between culture and business, without any conflict. We can create a system where continuous revenue leads to the preservation of culture and the future of people.
5. GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Communicating from a global perspective
The continued development of the business will lead to a brighter future for producers and indigo artisans.
To promote, circulate and pass on culture, and to expand it overseas.
MEMBER
Masato Tanaka
Indigo Shisha Master
KITSUAI Project Representative / Indigo Artist With indigo culture as its theme, he creates new forms of cultural experiences through space, body and senses.
Director of the KITSUAI Project / Indigo shisha master.
Focusing on indigo culture, creating new forms of cultural experience through physical space, the body, and the senses.
Yusuke SAKAKI
PR/Marketing
While working as an executive at a PR company in Tokyo, he has traveled to Japan, France, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia.
Responsible for a wide range of tasks from strategic planning to implementation for companies and local governments.
Our strengths include launching brands in areas such as food and beverage, tourism, medicine, and fashion, as well as supporting information design and communication with an eye on the inbound market.
Currently based in Japan and the Philippines, he provides branding support by interpreting culture and context.