Dyeing with morella rubra
先日、このブログで「ヤマモモの樹皮」を紹介しました。そこで紹介したとおり、古くからヤマモモの樹皮は良質な染料として用いられてきました。これで染めた媚茶（こびちゃ）という昆布茶に似た色が、江戸時代の天保年間に流行したらしく、その名前の由来は「異性に媚（こ）びるような艶っぽい色」という意味だそうです。なんか、すごいネーミングですよね。その色が、やや黒ずんだ黄褐色 （■色見本）です。
※ I am not very good at English, so I apologize in advance.
Recently I wrote about “The barks of morella rubra”on this blog. As I wrote there, the barks of morella rubra has long been used as a good dye by ancestors to us. It seems that the color “Kobicha” dyed with this has become popular in Japan 170 years ago. By the way, “Kobicha” is Japanese and its meaning is “Sexy color to draw attention to person you love”. That is the color of this letter. It is not a brilliant color, but many Japanese people are attracted to such colors even now.
「媚茶」が出せるかは分かりませんが、このヤマモモの樹皮でシルクのストールを染めています（※下の写真）。この作業を終えると次は媒染です。さて、どんな色に仕上がりますやら!? お楽しみに！
I do not know if “Kobicha” can dye. But now I’m challenging to stain a silk scarfs with the barks of morella rubra(※ below picture). After finishing this work, the next is work of mordant. Well, what color can I dye? looking forward to!
