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Kasuri, or ikat, is a style of textile, either in cotton or silk, in which the threads are resist-dyed first, before being woven into the garment, creating geometric and other patterns in a two-tone (e.g. indigo and undyed white) palette. The patterns and techniques were transmitted to the [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryûkyû Islands]] via India and Southeast Asia, later spawning various regional forms of ''kasuri'' textiles in mainland Japan.

Kasuri, or ikat, is a style of textile, either in cotton or silk, in which the threads are resist-dyed first, before being woven into the garment, creating geometric and other patterns in a two-tone (e.g. indigo and undyed white) palette. The patterns and techniques were transmitted to the [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryûkyû Islands]] via India and Southeast Asia, later spawning various regional forms of ''kasuri'' textiles in mainland Japan.

''Kasuri'' is said to have been first introduced to Ryûkyû by [[Gima Shinjo|Gima Shinjô]] in [[1611]].<ref>"Oroku ma~i" 小禄ま～い. Pamphlet. Naha City Board of Education Cultural Properties Division 那覇市教育委員会文化財課, 1989. </ref> Today, Ryukyuan ''kasuri'' textiles are chiefly produced in silk, in the Kyan neighborhood of Haebaru-chô, and Teruya in central [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]].

''Kasuri'' is said to have been first introduced to Ryûkyû by [[Gima Shinjo|Gima Shinjô]] in [[1611]].<ref>"Oroku ma~i" 小禄ま～い. Pamphlet. Naha City Board of Education Cultural Properties Division 那覇市教育委員会文化財課, 1989.</ref> Though historically the Oroku (Uruku) and Kakihana neighborhoods were major centers of cotton ''kasuri'' production,<ref>Gallery labels, Fujukan, University of the Ryukyus Museum.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/30004199161/sizes/h/]</ref> Ryukyuan ''kasuri'' textiles are today chiefly produced in silk, in the Kyan neighborhood of Haebaru-chô, and Teruya in central [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]].

In the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]], the colors and types of aristocratic garments served as an indication of rank. Wives of ''[[anji]]'' or ''[[ueekata]]'' wore ''kasuri'' or ''[[tsumugi]]'' garments in green or pale blue (or yellow, for higher-ranking ''anji'' families). Pink ''kasuri'' garments indicated wives of those of ''[[peechin]]'' or ''[[satunushi]]'' status, while the wives of the ''[[chikudun]]'', the lowest-ranking nobles, wore blue ''kasuri''.  

In the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]], the colors and types of aristocratic garments served as an indication of rank. Wives of ''[[anji]]'' or ''[[ueekata]]'' wore ''kasuri'' or ''[[tsumugi]]'' garments in green or pale blue (or yellow, for higher-ranking ''anji'' families). Pink ''kasuri'' garments indicated wives of those of ''[[peechin]]'' or ''[[satunushi]]'' status, while the wives of the ''[[chikudun]]'', the lowest-ranking nobles, wore blue ''kasuri''.