Japanese Textile History

Kasuri Fabric 　　　　　Kasuri ori is a method of dyeing thread for weaving that originated in India where it is known as Ikat dyeing. The threads are resist dyed prior to weaving in such a way that when they are woven into fabric a pattern will appear. This is done by grouping the warp and weft threads into small bunches and wrapping them tightly with thread. The resulting fabric tends to have a somewhat blurry pattern and rustic feel as a result either dye seeping into the resist-tied areas or the resist dyed patches not lining up correctly, but, considering how precise the planning needs to be for the resist-dyed sections to form a pattern at all, this method is capable of producing amazingly detailed patterns. resist-tying 　　　　　Kasuri ori refers more to the dyeing method than the weaving itself,　and it can therefore be woven on a simple backstrap loom and is often done with cotton in a simple flat weave. Kasuri Ori has been traditionally used with indigo dyes to create pract...

Tsumugi kimono      Tsumigi, one of the twelve types of Nishijin Ori, is a relatively simple fabric. The thread for Tsumugi is spun not from individual spun fibers of un-reeled silkworm cocoons, but the stretched-out cocoon itself. This results in a thread that is not as fine as that which could be created using the individual threads of a cocoon but is warmer and can be made from silk that would not otherwise be useable.      From what I understand, the threads for Tsumugi were traditionally handspun. Without even a spindle, the spinner would simple draft silk out from a mawata and twist it between their fingers to create the finished thread. This process is still carried out by craftsmen in Yuki.      Tsumugi does not appear to be associated with one specific dye method, although, as a Nishijin textile, whatever method is used is used before weaving. The signature aspect of Tsumugi as a Nishijin textile comes from the way the ...

Jacquard loom      The loom used in the modern production of Nishijin textiles is the Jacquard loom that was invented in 1801 in France and brought to Japan in 1872 when three students were sent to Europe by the Kyoto Prefectural Government to learn their techniques. This allowed Japan to mass produce Nishijin Ori and it has become the loom that is associated with Nishijin.      The Jacquard loom is designed specifically for brocades. To use the loom patterns are plotted out and then transferred onto cards in the form of a system of holes that determine which warp threads are to be pulled through and thus the pattern is decided with less work for the weaver.   This loom allows for complicated designs to be input into the looms to mass produce textiles without losing quality in the end product. The loom is massive, but not far in size from standard European looms and, though the mechanism itself is complicated in comparison to previous looms, ...

Nishijin Obi      Nishijin ori is a general term for Sakizome, or brocade-type textile in which the thread is dyed before weaving and the design is then woven into the fabric using a jacquard loom. It specifically refers to the textiles produced in Kyoto since the Heian period. Nishijin textiles were designated as a Japanese traditional craft in 1976. W ithin the category of Nishijin textiles there are twelve different types of fabric each created using different processes. The types of finished items that Nishijin ori is most known for are Kimono, Obi, Noh costume, Doncho, neckties, shawls,and interior decoration items.      The history of Nishijin Ori begins in the Muromachi era, after the end of the Onin War, (1467-1477) when textile craftsmen, who had dispersed throughout the country, gathered in the western region of Kyoto that was then coming to be known as Nishijin.   The name, which literally means “West -territory” originated as a r...

      I visited Himeji Castle during Golden week. The castle was built in 1346 by Akamatu Sadanori and is designed to have the appearance of a white heron in flight. The Castle is built primarily of wood and the exterior has been plastered using a mixture of slaked lime, shell ash, hemp fiber and seaweed leaving the entire structure white except for the roofs. The roofs themselves are made of black convex and concave tiles set in place using more white plaster resulting in a white and black latticed look across all the roofs of the castle.       Himeji Castle has survived centuries of changes of occupants and wars. It miraculously survived the bombing of Himeji city twice and became something of a symbol of hope and strength. The west Baily that surrounds the perimeter of the castle famously housed Princess Sen who is known for having one of the few marriages at that time that is believed to have been for love. The castle is scheduled for thoro...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/photographic-heritage/15147232057      Japanese spinning has a couple of key differences from the spinning historically done in the west. The spinning wheel used in Japan is the same as that used in India and China and it is believed to have spread to Japan around 1,200 C.E. This is most evident with cotton, in which the entire process mirrors that used in India almost exactly. However, cotton wasn’t introduced to Japan was producing fabrics long before the introduction of the spinning wheel, so some process must have existed before its introduction. Unfortunately I have had very little luck finding any information whatsoever on the spinning processes of ancient Japan. The only spinning wheel anyone associates with Japan is the spinning wheel that is largely believed to have originated somewhere in the middle East. No one seems to be very clear on exactly where and when the wheel was invented, some claim it began to be used in India fro...