TOKYO--Upon entering the" itaba" workshop space at Hirose Dyeworks in Tokyo, snow white silk fabrics could be seen spread out atop narrow seven-meter-long planks of Japanese fir wood lined up in a row.... Craftsman Yuichi Hirose, 42, was carefully applying paste to the silk cloth called" chirimen," as part of the dyeing process to create fine kimono patterns known as" Edo Komon." On this rainy day in July, Hirose explained to us the different steps involved in this traditional dyeing technique.