(lively instrumental music)
- [Narrator] This is the beginning of a kimono.
One of the world's most precious kimonos,
a thousand-year-old fashion statement
that all starts here in the mud on a unique tropical island.
This is the kimono world's dirty little secret.
This story starts in Ginza,
a neighborhood in Tokyo known for fashion,
and home to a famous kimono shop.
- [Narrator] In the 1700s, Japan invaded Amami Ōshima,
and everyone was forced to surrender
all of their silk kimonos to Japan's ruling class.
So, legend has it that the people of Amami Ōshima
hid their kimonos in the mud
and discovered that they were dyed a beautiful black color.
- [Narrator] Some say the heritage behind these kimonos
is just as sacred as the kimono itself.
(lively instrumental music)