Awa Shoai Shijira-ori (Awa Indigo Crepe Cotton)
Awa Shoai Shijira-ori (Awa Indigo Crepe Cotton)
Awa Shoai Shijira-ori is a cotton textile woven in Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture. Its surface has fine crinkles called 'shibo', which keep it from clinging to the skin and give it a smooth, dry feel. It is said to have been devised in the early Meiji period by Kaifu Hana of Ataka Village, Myodo District, Awa Province (present-day Ataka, Tokushima City), who improved on 'tatae-ori', a striped cotton fabric. According to tradition, it started when a kimono hung out to dry was caught in a sudden shower and, after being dried in the sun, was found to have shrunk. Fabric that uses yarn dyed with natural Awa indigo (Awa-ai) is called 'Awa Shoai Shijira-ori', and it was designated a national Traditional Craft in 1978 (Showa 53). Being light and cool, it is used for summer kimono, jinbei (summer two-piece garments), samue (traditional work clothes) and more. Today, weaving houses (orimoto) in Kokufu-chō, Tokushima City, handle everything from yarn dyeing to weaving and finishing.
Origin
The forerunner of shijira-ori is said to be 'tatae-ori', a striped cotton fabric woven in Awa around the Kansei era. Kaifu Hana of Ataka Village noticed that striped cotton she had hung out to dry had been soaked by a sudden rain, and that when she dried it in the sun and brought it in, crinkles had formed here and there. Shijira-ori is said to have begun when she worked out how to reproduce this effect through combinations of yarns. Many sources date its invention to the early Meiji period, while others give 1866 (Keio 2) or the end of the Edo period.
History
Shijira-ori has been woven continuously as a local industry of Tokushima. In July 1978 (Showa 53), fabric dyed with natural Awa indigo became a Traditional Craft designated by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry under the name 'Awa Shoai Shijira-ori'. In 2010 (Heisei 22) it was selected as a 'Tokushima Citizens' Heritage' (Tokushima Shimin Isan). Today the 阿波しじら織協同組合 (Awa Shijira-ori Cooperative) is based in Kokufu-chō, Tokushima City, and weaving houses in the same town continue production.
Features
Its defining feature is the shibo created on the fabric's surface by making use of differences in tension among the warp threads. Thanks to the shibo, the fabric does not cling to the skin or feel sticky even when you sweat. Highly absorbent, light and cool, it is well suited to summer clothing. Besides garments such as samue and jinbei, in recent years it has also been made into accessories such as parasols, neckties, stoles and noren (shop-entrance curtains).
Techniques
Shibo from Tension Differences
Two kinds of warp threads are used: 'ji-tateito', which forms the ground, and 'tatae-ito', which produces the shibo. The position of the ayatake (lease rods) is adjusted, and the fabric is woven while keeping the tension difference between the two kinds of warp constant. Afterward, when the fabric is passed through hot water and shrinks, the crinkled texture appears.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Yarn dyeing
White yarn is dyed, rinsed in water, sized with starch and dried in the sun. For Shoai Shijira-ori, yarn hand-dyed with indigo is used.
- 2
Winding and warping
The yarn is rewound onto wooden bobbins, and the warp threads are arranged on a warping machine to create the striped pattern.
- 3
Weaving
The fabric is woven on a loom while maintaining the tension difference between the two kinds of warp.
- 4
Inspection
The fabric is checked by eye for uneven color or flaws.
- 5
Hot-water treatment and drying
When the fabric is passed through hot water and then dried, the shibo characteristic of shijira-ori appears.
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Artisans & Workshops
長尾織布
An Awa Shijira-ori weaving house in Wada, Kokufu-chō, Tokushima City, founded in 1897 (Meiji 30). It handles everything in-house, from yarn dyeing and weaving to making and selling products such as samue. Its sawtooth-roofed factory houses about 80 looms for kimono-width fabric, the oldest of which date from the 1930s.
岡本織布工場（織工房 藍布屋）
A textile factory at 徳島市国府町和田161 (Wada, Kokufu-chō, Tokushima City) that sells Awa Shoai Shijira-ori products under the name 藍布屋 (Rampuya). It carries shirts, samue, jinbei, scarves, noren and small accessories, and also runs an online shop.
Official site →How to Buy
- 長尾織布 factory shop
- A shop attached to the factory sells shijira-ori products such as jinbei, parasols and neckties. It also sells online. Business days and hours may change, so it is best to check by phone (088-642-1228) in advance.
- 藍布屋 online shop
- An online shop run by 岡本織布工場 where you can buy Awa Shoai Shijira-ori shirts, samue, stoles, noren and more.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
長尾織布 工場見学・藍染体験
徳島県徳島市国府町和田居内189-2
According to an article in the Tokushima Shimbun, the factory tour takes about 20 minutes and is free, and the indigo dyeing experience takes about 30 minutes and costs from around 1,000 yen. Reservations are required for both. As there have been periods when bookings were suspended, please inquire in advance about the current status.
FAQ
Q. Are 'Awa Shijira-ori' and 'Awa Shoai Shijira-ori' different things?
A. Among shijira-ori, fabric made with yarn dyed with natural Awa indigo is called 'Awa Shoai Shijira-ori' and is designated a national Traditional Craft. In the broader sense, the name 'Awa Shijira-ori' also covers fabric made with yarn dyed with dyes other than indigo.