Asa (ramie and hemp) clothes have been the fabric most familiar to Japanese people since ancient times. A project to host a study group and exhibition led by Shinichiro Yoshida, an artist and well-known collector and scholar of early modern ramie and hemp fabrics. In 2021, he created his artworks White and Black, shown in the exhibition “Shinichiro Yoshida | The existence of white.” A catalogue was published in conjunction, featuring an interview with the artist. In October 2022, a gallery called Shinmyouan was also established to deal in old fabrics, mainly ramie and hemp.