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Roketsu-zome
This wax-resist dyeing technique was introduced from China during the Asuka period (7th century) and textiles of this kind dating from the 8th century are preserved in the Shosoin Imperial Repository in the ancient capital city of Nara. Wax is used to reserve certain sections of the pattern during dyeing and after the wax has been removed these sections are left undyed-the effect is similar to that of hand-painted cloth. Today, the traditional roketsu-zome patterns are applied to many kinds of fabric goods, including neckties and furnishing fabrics, and the technique of roketsu-zome is a popular hobby among Japanese women. Kimono lengths of roketsu-zome range from the costly, as in this example, to the inexpensive, depending on the fabric and the extent to which the process is mechanized.