WHERE: Nakai/ Ochiai Stations, Tokyo
WHEN: 3rd weekend in February

Imagine walking through a quiet neighborhood in Tokyo… but suddenly, the streets come alive with color! Silk, cotton, and intricate patterns dance in the breeze. This is Some no Komichi, a festival that celebrates Tokyo’s deep history of traditional dyeing!
Today, we’re exploring the Some no Komichi festival in Nakai, Tokyo—a hidden gem where artisans and history lovers come together to celebrate the beauty of hand-dyed textiles. If you love crafts, natural dyeing, and Japanese culture, you’re going to love this!
Some no Komichi, which means 'Dyeing Alley,' takes place every year in late February in Nakai, a neighborhood once famous for its textile industry. During the Edo and Showa periods, this area was home to many dyeing workshops, and even today, you can find traces of that history.

This festival started in 2011 to revive and showcase the art of traditional dyeing, which was slowly disappearing. And now, it’s one of the most unique cultural events in Tokyo!
One of the most breathtaking sights is the River Gallery. These long, hand-dyed fabrics, called 'tanmono,' are hung over the Myoshoji river, just like artisans used to do when drying their work. The colours and patterns reflect the rich history of Japanese textile arts. And the best part? You can actually try it yourself! There are workshops where you can dye your own fabric using natural dyes or traditional methods. It’s an amazing way to connect with this art form and take home a unique souvenir!

As you walk through the streets of Nakai, you’ll find local businesses and workshops decorated with beautiful dyed textiles. And one of the most iconic sights is the noren—those traditional fabric dividers hanging at shop entrances.
Noren have been used in Japan for centuries, not just as decoration but also as a sign of a shop’s identity. In the past, dyeing studios in this area would proudly display noren featuring their unique family crests or patterns. Today, during Some no Komichi, artisans create stunning hand-dyed noren using traditional techniques like shibori (tie-dye), katazome (stencil dyeing), and yuzen (resist dyeing).
Each noren tells a story. Some feature nature-inspired motifs, while others showcase intricate geometric designs. It’s a way for artists to express their creativity while keeping this beautiful tradition alive.
Some no Komichi is more than just a festival—it’s a tribute to Tokyo’s forgotten textile heritage. Many of these dyeing techniques are at risk of disappearing, but thanks to events like this, they are being passed down to the next generation.
As someone who loves natural dyeing, I find so much inspiration here! Seeing how these artisans bring color to life reminds me why traditional crafts are so important.

This August the Awa Odori came back in Shimokitazawa after a break of 4 years. It felt amazing to have the energy back in the streets with locals and visitors alike soaking in the atmosphere. It was hot, sweaty, loud and lively with the local area troupes gathering together to try to outdo each other.
My personal favourites were the Sancha Ren (troupe) from Sangenjyaya just up the road from us and Takarabune, the crowd-pleasing, high-octane professional troupe.

TAKARBUNE

As you would expect from Japan, the organisation of the event was impeccable. No trouble, no pushing or shoving just people having fun. It was lovely to see the local businesses benefiting from the event too by adding kaki-gori (shaved ice) stands, beer coolers, festival toys and snacks  to their usual wares.
The Awa Odori spans the whole weekend from Friday night until Sunday night. It was especially lovely to be able to hear the drums from my house and Studio Biku. For me, this festival marks the end of summer (even though it's still 33-35°C most days) and there's a little one week break before we welcome in the Autumn with the next festival Kitazawa Hachimangu Festival next weekend.

SANCHA REN

A 12-minute walk from Shimokitazawa Station and an 8-minute walk from Ikenoue Station, Kitazawa Hachiman Shrine's annual festival "Kitazawa Hachiman Autumn Festival" will be held from September 2nd (Sat) to 3rd (Sun) 2023.
To celebrate the coming of the Autumn season, More than twenty portable shrines (mikoshi) will be carried through the streets of Shimokitazawa over the course of the weekend.