Touched by the air and light and appears “Japan Blue”
Tendou belong to people who have physical and mental disabilities who attend disabled facilities of Tentoumushi.
They are all Tendou’s artists and make indigo products using indigo dye.
Tendou’s indigo is made using only natural, raw materials, so the indigo products are friendly to the environment and the human body. Moreover, all indigo dye is made by hand. Indigo was introduced to Japan from long,long ago as a medicine. It is effective for detoxification, reducing fever, promoting intestinal bacterial health, and fortreating heat rash. Also, clothes dyed by indigo contain a natural anti-bacterial, which is helpful against damage from sweat. In addition, clothes treated with indogo contain a natural pesticide which also protects against insects and bugs. Tendou is the only company with patents to produce products using both the Seigetsu-Linden Tree seedss with our special indigo blue dyes. We produce amulets, rosaries, and accessories using the Seigetsu-Linden Tree seeds. Seigetsu-Linden Tree sbeeds have a black dot on the sureface that is called the “star”, and a hole on it regarded as its “moon”. Linden Tree (also known as Bo Trees in India), have a special place in symbolism:often love, fertility, fodelity, and good luck. In Japan, Seigetsu-Linden Tree seeds are regarded as having powers of immeasurable wealth and the power of victory. moreover, it is though to contain elements that promote purification, serenity, harmony, tolerance, and good intentions.
Therefore, we produce our products using the benefits contained within each Seigetsu-Linden Tree seeds. Our products, dyed with our special indigo dyes, are the only ones made in the entire world.
对身体・环境无害的天然灰汁发酵
靛蓝染色作为日本具有代表性的植物印染，颜色鲜艳而柔和，色调的融合性非常深厚。同时因为拥有越用越能体现出来的韵味之特点，常常被应用于服装制作等场合，并深受喜爱。现在，市面上的靛蓝染色制品，大多都是为了缩短制作时间与成本而使用的化学染料加工而成的化学产品，而「天童」本蓝染工坊的制品，不采用任何化学成分，始终坚持由自然植物为原料发酵制作而成的“本蓝染”工艺。「蓝」原本作为药材传入日本，具有解毒解热、肠内抗菌、治疗汗疹等功效，由于被「蓝」染过的衣服具有防虫、杀菌的效果，于江户时代普及到平民百姓家，长期以来深受使用者的喜爱。
制作靛蓝染色的染液的工程被称为“建蓝”。使用天然木灰发酵的制作工艺，首先要把靛蓝染色的原料蓼蓝的叶，由专业的种植人员经过长达一年的时间通过栽培、收获、烘干、发酵等工序精制加工成“底料”，然后把“底料”与在工坊里用木灰和开水混合后滤出的“灰汁”、以及麸皮、石灰、日本清酒进行混合后放入染缸里进行发酵。边观察“蓝花”（浮在液面上的泡沫）的状态，边等待发酵的完成，大约经过十天左右便能完成“建蓝”工序。
使用上述过程制作而成的蓝染液进行印染时，要根据当时的天气条件、被染物的种类、印染回数等因素，适当地调整印染状态是非常重要的，因为它不单单是制品，而是寄托了我们对这种能够制作优美的日本蓝的蓝染液的一种亲情与挚爱。
作为生活护理工作的一环而开始的蓝染工坊
诞生出充满个性的作品
从街区驱车十五分钟左右，本蓝染工坊「天童」坐落在被稻田围绕着，能感觉到四季风的幽静的乡间之中，充满个性的蓝染作品便是从这里诞生。生活护理设施「彩虹」所属的残障者，包括重症残障者在内的全体成员从事着本蓝染的工作。本蓝染工坊是本着让重症残障者也能通过蓝染的工作取得一定的收入为目的、以及「残障者也有尊严、应当受到社会的尊重」、以及「为世界和平做贡献」为宗旨而开始的蓝染工作。丝毫不使用化学染料，只用自然原料的本蓝染在管理上难度非常大，不适合批量生产。但是，从印染物的实际应用上考虑，毕竟是穿在身上的东西，没有比这个对身体及环境更无害的了。用像拥有着生命力一样的「蓝」制作蓝染的顺序，是从自古传来的技巧「人」与「自然」的共同合作中学习到的，虽然根据残障程度不同，制作技巧会有一定的差别，但是在工作人员的协助下，生活护理设施的全体利用者齐心协力从事着这份特殊的工作。
