A bamboo basket dressed in delicate colour. Bright shades of red, blue and green are in the specialism of craftsman at a Tokyo dye works with more than 70 years of history. The Tokyo plain dye style traditionally works with silk. To apply their work to the unbleached surface of bamboo, the craftsmen found especial challenge to judge the right mix of colour, and duration to apply the dye. Also the material presented problems within the beauty of its length and elasticity. To place the bundles of bamboo delicately into the dye tank avoiding damage to them, was a technique that required perfecting. Following the skilled dyeing process, the bamboo was woven into baskets at the home of this craft, in Beppu in southern Japan. The bold, wide bamboo used in the handle gives a modern impression that would match both Japanese and western clothing. As the handle is generous in size and shape, it looks as good rested on the arm as it does held in the hand. One option is to glimpse the contents through the holes (the “eyes”) in the weave, the other is to line the basket with a smaller bag inside.