What is Kogin Stitching?

◆ What is Kogin Stitching?

Kogin stitching is a form of sashiko embroidery characterized by geometric patterns.
It is said to have been created during the Edo period by farming women in the Tsugaru region of Aomori, northern Japan.

In the harsh winters of Tsugaru, only linen clothing was permitted.
By stitching the coarse linen fabric with cotton thread, women reinforced the cloth and improved its warmth, allowing them to endure the cold.

The technique of stitching horizontally, one row at a time, helped prevent missed stitches and made kogin both practical and efficient for strengthening garments.
From this functional practice emerged the geometric motifs known today as modoko, which we continue to enjoy as decorative patterns.

Girls in farming families were often given a needle and thread around the age of five or six.
They gradually learned more complex patterns, and when they married, it was common to bring several kogin-stitched garments with them.
Women gathered together to stitch, enjoying the process while creating increasingly beautiful designs.

◆ Regional Styles of Kogin

Kogin designs developed distinct characteristics in three areas divided by the Iwaki River, reflecting the influence of local environments.

Eastern Kogin
Found in the grain-producing plains east of Hirosaki.
Designs are often bold and large in scale, stitched on coarse fabrics woven with thicker linen threads.
Many garments feature continuous patterns across the front and back without striped sections.

Western Kogin
Developed in the mountainous regions west of Hirosaki.
These works tend to be more intricate, stitched on finely woven ramie fabrics.
Striped sections stitched alternately with black and white thread appear at the shoulders, leading to the name “striped kogin.”
Some garments also include the kutsuwa-tsunagi motif on the back, said to protect against snakes.

Mishima (Three-Stripe) Kogin
Found downstream from Mt. Iwaki.
These garments are characterized by three bold stripes across the body.
Due to repeated crop failures and difficult living conditions, fewer examples survive today, making them especially valuable.

◆ How to Pronounce “Kogin Stitching”

Both kogin-sashi and kogin-zashi are used.
I personally say kogin-sashi, based on what I heard growing up, but many people use kogin-zashi. Even within the Tsugaru dialect, pronunciation varies subtly, and I see this difference as part of the richness of the language and culture.

◆ References

The following books are highly enjoyable as both visual references and reading material.

• Tanaka Chūzaburō. The World of Old Textiles in Michinoku. Kawade Shobō Shinsha, 2009.
• Supervised by the Hirosaki Kogin Research Institute. Tsugaru Kogin Stitching: Techniques and Pattern Collection. Seibundō Shinkōsha, 2013.

Satonobou