Akita Hachijo is a silk textile woven with striped and checkered patterns based on a reddish-brown 'tobi-iro' color, using silk thread dyed with plant dyes such as the root bark of hamanasu (rugosa rose), kariyasu (a type of grass), and rengetsutsuji (a species of azalea). Its origin is said to date to around 1784 (Tenmei 4), when Ishikawa Takiuemon and others brought the weaving technique to the region; building on plant-dyeing techniques related to 'Honba Kihachijo' of the Izu Islands, further improvements were made during the Bunka era, when a craftsman was invited from Kiryu in Joshu. Production reached its peak around 1903-1904 (Meiji 36-37), but the number of producers gradually declined afterward, and the craft was once interrupted when the Namekawa Textile Factory (Akita City), the last remaining producer, closed in 2003. In 2006, Toshiko Narada, a former employee of that factory, took over its equipment and set up a workshop in Kitaakita City, single-handedly reviving the technique. In 2023, the workshop relocated and was renamed 'Akita Hachijo Hamanasu Workshop'; today Narada remains the sole producer, handling everything from dyeing the thread to weaving, while also working to pass on the technique to members of the local Community Revitalization Cooperator program.
Origin
Akita Hachijo is said to have begun around 1784 (Tenmei 4), when Ishikawa Takiuemon and others brought the weaving technique to the region, and its methods are considered related to those of 'Honba Kihachijo,' a plant-dyed silk textile handed down on Hachijojima in the Izu Islands. Later, during the Bunka era (1804-1818), the craftsman Tadenuma Jinbei was invited from Kiryu in Joshu (present-day Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture), and improvements were made to the dyeing and weaving techniques.
History
The technique was refined from the late Edo period into the Meiji era, and around 1903-1904 (Meiji 36-37), improvements in equipment also helped production reach its peak. After that, the number of makers gradually declined, and by the Showa era the Namekawa family had become almost the sole producer. In 2003, the Namekawa Textile Factory (Akita City), the last one remaining, closed, and production of Akita Hachijo was once interrupted. In 2006, Toshiko Narada, a former employee of that factory, took over its equipment, set up a workshop in Kitaakita City, and revived the technique through self-study. In 2023, the workshop was renamed and relocated as 'Akita Hachijo Hamanasu Workshop.'
Features
Akita Hachijo is characterized by striped and checkered patterns based on tobi-iro (a reddish brown) dyed with hamanasu root bark, yellow dyed with kariyasu or rengetsutsuji, and black. All the plant dyes used are gathered within Akita Prefecture, and the labor-intensive plant-dyeing process is said to take about a week for each color. Today, Toshiko Narada is the sole person handling every step by hand, from dyeing the thread to weaving, and the craft is designated a Prefecturally Designated Intangible Cultural Property of Akita.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Thread reeling
Raw silk thread is prepared to the required thickness and length in readiness for dyeing.
- 2
Plant dyeing
Tobi-iro is dyed using hamanasu root bark, and yellow using kariyasu or rengetsutsuji, with each color taking about a week to complete.
- 3
Hand weaving
The dyed thread is woven on a hand loom into striped or checkered patterns.
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Artisans & Workshops
秋田八丈はまなす工房
The workshop of Toshiko Narada, Japan's only producer of Akita Hachijo. Established in 2006, it relocated to its current location in the Tsuzureko district of Kitaakita City and was renamed in 2023. Narada single-handedly carries out every step from dyeing the thread to weaving.
Official site →How to Buy
- Akita Hachijo Hamanasu Workshop Online Shop
- An online shop run by Hamanasu Workshop, where visitors can purchase obi sashes, small items, and more (obi start from around ¥250,000).Where to buy →PR
FAQ
Q. Is Akita Hachijo still made today?
A. Yes. Production was temporarily interrupted in 2003, but Toshiko Narada revived the technique in 2006, and today she remains the sole producer, continuing to make Akita Hachijo in Kitaakita City.
Q. Where does the name Akita Hachijo come from?
A. It is said to have taken its name because its techniques are related to those of 'Honba Kihachijo,' a plant-dyed silk textile handed down on Hachijojima in the Izu Islands.