Ryuichi Sato, aka Tera Kura, is a Tokyo-based curio dealer specialising in Boro, the sought-after Japanese textile embedded with history through its hand-woven or hand-stitched detailing and form. Boro (ぼろ), is a type of Japanese textile that has been re-woven, stitched or patched together, is comprised of natural fibre textile such as cotton, linen and hemp, as a cost-efficient solution for garment longevity. Worn by pheasant farmers who were exposed to the elements and needed reliable clothing for their work, their garment repair was done by family members with care and consideration. 

The Fukushima-born collector finds and sources premium boro in an attempt to keep educate and share the importance of this textile in Japan’s history. Both as a collector and merchant, Sato is as humble as the modest art form he is so passionate about just like his father, also a curio dealer. Tera Kura styles this beautiful textile in his work with clients, aiming to share the beauty of this Japanese tradition in a modern way.

Boro in perfect condition – still-intact – is rare to find. Garments would would be passed down generation to generation in families to wear, use and repair as required. Boro often uses sashiko stitching to reinforce a textile – using spare scraps of fabric – to repair utilitarian garments such as coats, trousers or jackets for farmers. Original garments were mainly indigo-dyed linen or hemp, referencing the era they were used in by farmers in Japan daily. 

These garments were workwear, made to be worn for practical use, and in turn became embedded with layers of story-telling and meaning. 

Their constant repair by family over generations, makes these garments and their textile so precious and emotionally-charged. After years of constant care by farmers’ family members, there are different levels of repair possible to find in each garment, conveying farmers’ ethos of re-use and repair, turning it into an art form. 

We spoke to Tera Kura to find out more about his work and his rare collection of Japan’s finest Boro:

佐藤自身と佐藤の仕事について教えてください。ボロへの興味はどこから始まったのですか? ボロの収集を始めたきっかけは何ですか?

日本の古い布や衣服、その他古道具などを扱って販売しています。

ボロとの出会いは、父親が扱っている実物をみたことから。たまたま出かけた骨董市の父親の店でみたボロの野良着を’着てみたい’と思ったことがはじまりです。

そこから、自分のルーツである生まれ育った会津、東北、雪国のものを特に集めたいと思い、収集を続けています。

Tell us about yourself and your work, where did your interest in Boro begin? How did you begin collecting Boro?

My work includes dealing and selling vintage Japanese fabrics, clothing, and other antiques. My first encounter with boro was when I came across authentic boro items that my father was first selling. I happened to be at an antique market and saw some boro in my father’s stall and thought to myself, ‘I’d like to try wearing them.’

It all stemmed from this experience, and from then on, I have continued to pursue collecting antiques from Japan’s ‘Snow Country’ such as Tohoku, Niigata, Nagano, Ishikawa and Fukushima — specifically Aizu, where I was born and raised.

なたはボロでスタイリストとしても働いていますが、古いアイテムを新しい方法でスタイリングするのが好きなのはなぜですか？

自分はスタイリストの仕事はしていません。自分の感覚でディスプレイすることをその時々の所持している物で楽しんでいます。

You also work as a stylist with Boro. Why do you like styling these old items in new ways?
I currently don’t work as a stylist. Rather, I enjoy showcasing what I currently own according to my own intuition and taste.

Can you tell us about some of the special projects you have worked with on different clients?
I supply products and textiles for various clients who use it for their own subsequent product development and projects.

さまざまなクライアントのために取り組んだ特別なプロジェクトについていくつか教えていただけますか?

品物を提供しているのみです。プロジェクトに参加しているわけではなく、その後の製品化などはそれぞれのクライアントによるものです。

How many Boro items are in your entire collection?
I sell items as they come into my possession, so my quantity varies from time to time.

佐藤のコレクション全体にはボロのアイテムがいくつありますか?
基本的に世に初めてでる品物を販売しているので数についてはその時々でまちまちです。

Can you tell us about the favourite items in your collection?
Children’s items.

佐藤のコレクションの中でお気に入りのアイテムについて教えていただけますか？
子供の物は好きです。

What are your plans for the future with your business and collecting?
I don’t have any clear plans, but as long as I can, I want to continue dealing in antiques, cherishing my own feelings at the time.

佐藤のビジネスと収集に関する将来の計画は何ですか?
明確に計画があるわけではないですが、やり続けられる限り、自分のその時の感覚を大切に古物を扱っていきたいと思っています。

Images: As credited, Champ Creative© 
Interview: Champ Editorial Director Monique Kawecki  

For more about design and culture in Japan, check here