Cotton did not grow in Tsugaru, so most of the clothing was made of linen.
In 1724 (Kyoho 9th year), the “Peasant Frugality Restriction Ordinance” regulated not only work clothes, but also underwear, obi (belt), and headgear. The winter in Tsugaru was very harsh, and peasants who were not allowed to wear cotton, stitched the creases of the fabric with linen thread to keep the body warm and to also reinforce any necessary stitching. In the beginning, “Jizashi” was used to pick up the texture in a single line, but eventually geometric patterns were devised.

As the ban on cotton was lifted in the Meiji era, it became easier to obtain cotton thread, and linen fabric dyed with indigo started to be stitched with white cotton thread. Women put a lot of thought into their designs, and Kogin embroidery was at its peak as various patterns were gradually being created. The railway between Ueno and Aomori was opened in 1884, and extended from Aomori City to Hirosaki City in 1897. This allowed people to freely obtain durable and warm cotton clothing, causing Kogin embroidery to go downhill rapidly around the year of 1898. Japanese women started to prefer “Kasuri” (splashed patterns) and hand-weaving over traditional Kogin-sashi.

In the Showa era, the Tsugaru Kogin embroidery regained attention by the “Folk Craft Movement” led by Soetsu Yanagi and many others. They said, ” How impressive are Tsugaru women, for they have left us such a thing. Linen and cotton were the fabrics of the indigenous people who were banned from using silk; however, they gave birth to such a beautiful piece in the midst of oppressive prohibition. It was a fortune in the unfortunate situation, a silver lining of people being the Tsugaru woman who made such beautiful pieces in response to their lives. ” (1932 Kogei [Handicrafts])