ESMOD TOKYO International Short Courses
Applications Now Open
Jul 20 – 24, 2026
A five-day immersion into Japanese textile culture, approached through making and material exploration.
Led by practitioners working across traditional techniques and contemporary textile design, the course introduces a range of Traditional Japanese Textile Techniques, such as katazome (stencil dyeing), natural dyeing, kumihimo (braid and cord making), and traditional weaving.
Participants work in a focused setting, engaging directly with how color develops, how patterns carry meaning, and how variation and irregularity are integrated into Japanese aesthetics. Equal attention is given to practice and reflection, allowing an understanding to emerge through doing.
The practice encourages a different relationship to material, where observation, patience, and process guide decision-making, and where textiles are understood as evolving rather than controlled outcomes.
INSTRUCTORS
Shoko Uematsu
A Tama Art University graduate, Shoko works between Tokyo and Shanghai across material research and product development, with a textile expertise and practice grounded in both experimentation and tradition.
Quoi Alexander
A graduate of Central Saint Martins with a BA in Fashion Design and an MA in Regenerative Design, Quoi has worked as a designer at Chanel and Alexander McQueen before founding his own label, Quoi Alexander, in Paris. Along with his teaching, he currently researches materials and regenerative design in Tokyo.
LEARN
Understand the foundations of key Japanese textile processes and how they developed through material, environment, and daily practice.
Observe how different traditions approach time, repetition, and attention to detail.
DISCOVER & EXPERIMENT
Discover katazome (stencil dyeing), natural dyeing, kumihimo (rope and cord making), and weaving through guided, hands-on sessions led by active practitioners.
Experiment with color development, resist techniques, and pattern building.
Take part in a seminar positioning these practices within a broader cultural and technical context, helping you understand the systems behind the techniques.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
Gain an opportunity to understand Japanese textile culture through direct engagement with materials, professionals, and processes.
Learn how traditional techniques operate as evolving practices rather than fixed forms to copy.
Build a set of samples and observations that can inform future creative work or deepen cultural understanding.
Jul 20 – 24, 2026
Tuition Fee: ¥120,000 (~€650) *
*Pricing includes all workshops, materials, and Japanese–English interpretation.Accommodation, travel, and personal expenses are not included.
*The course is subject to a minimum enrollment of 5 participants.
Interpretation provided (JP/EN)
Location: Tokyo (details shared after registration)
Open to both Japanese and English speakers.
The course is taught in Japanese with live Japanese to English interpretation.
If you are interested, please complete the pre-registration form below.
https://x.gd/Rv5BF