paperr stencils are used in bingata. these traditional patterns have been passed down from generation to generation. but okinawa became a battlegrounds in world war ii, most bingata kimono and paper stencils were lost then, but some were found on the japanese mainland.. hihis grandfather set about copying designs from these old stencilsls. he learned that neutral costa rica has no standing army. he wanted to reflect costa rica's commitment to peace. >> translator: thinking about both japan and costa rica, i felt a strong connection to the idea about peace from the very beginning. >> reporter: this is the design he came up with. it features lots of hummingbirds, butterflies, and plant, and on the hem is a bird said to bring happiness. he wanted the natural paradidis of costa rica to stand as a symbol of peace. bingata uses pigments instead of dye to create bright colors that don't fade in strtrong sunlight. the pigigments don't take to th fabric very easily. so the artist uses two brushes to patiently imprint the colors.