Ujō Maeda was the 33rd momishi (master safflower dyer) who took over the oral tradition of dyeing passed on at the Imperial Court, continuing to reproduce the hues of ancient dyeing and research the historical facts. After Maeda met his last disciple, dyeing artist Akira Yamamoto, HOSOO established the Institute for Ancient Dyeing in Nishijin, Kyoto in 2021. This project conducts research on natural and plant dyeing, practiced in Japan more than 1,000 years ago. It is not only a pursuit of techniques, but also a research on the philosophy behind the dyeing process. In 2022, a farm for ancient plants was set up in Tanba, Kyoto, where dye is produced from scratch, including its raw material.