Awa Tafu is a cloth woven from the bark fibers of kozo (paper mulberry), handed down in the Kito district of Naka Town, Tokushima Prefecture. Tafu (bark-fiber cloth) is a sturdy fabric long woven in many parts of Japan, used for work clothes, bags for grain and lunches, the edging of tatami mats and more. As cotton spread, people stopped making it in most places, and from the Showa era onward it steadily declined. Today, the Kito district is said to be the only place in Japan where the technique survives. Production involves a series of labor-intensive steps, from cutting the kozo and processing the bark to making the thread and weaving on a jibata (ground loom). In March 2017 (Heisei 29), it was designated a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property as 'Awa no Tafu Seizo Gijutsu' (the production technique of Awa tafu). The local Awa Tafu Seizo Giho Hozon Denshokai (Society for the Preservation of Awa Tafu Production Techniques) carries on the technique and welcomes visitors to observe and try production at its heritage facility, Tafuan.
Origin
Tafu is cloth woven from thread made of fibers taken from the inner bark of trees such as kozo and kaji (both paper mulberry trees), and is thought to have been used since ancient times. Until cotton spread in the Edo period, it was one of the fabrics used for everyday and work clothing. In the early 1800s, Motoori Norinaga wrote with surprise in his essay collection Tamakatsuma that the technique of weaving tree bark had almost died out but still survived in Awa.
History
Until the Meiji 30s (1897-1906), wearing tafu clothing was part of everyday life. It was also made in the Iya region, but because it took so much work and was considered coarse and unattractive, it fell out of use there after the mid-Meiji era. In Kito, from the end of the Meiji era, tafu became a cash product bought at higher prices than cotton, so production continued. In 1970, Okada Ochiyo was recognized as a holder of the technique as a prefectural Intangible Cultural Property, and in 1984 it was designated a prefectural Intangible Cultural Property.
Features
Cloth woven from kozo fibers is stiff and durable, and has been valued as a practical fabric that lasts a long time. It is characterized by a coarse weave and rustic texture. The thread is made by splitting softened bark fibers into thin strands and joining them together. This process, called ito wo umu (splicing thread), is said to require particular skill. Today, products such as handbags, brooches and tablecloths are also made.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Cutting
Young kozo branches are cut in the depths of winter.
- 2
Steaming and stripping
The kozo is steamed in a koshiki (steaming tub) and the bark is stripped off.
- 3
Boiling in lye
The stripped bark is boiled in lye to soften it.
- 4
Removing the outer bark
The bark is beaten with a wooden mallet to remove the outer layer, called onikawa.
- 5
Bleaching and drying
The fibers are bleached in the river and dried in the sun.
- 6
Splicing thread (itoumi)
The fibers are split into thin strands and joined to make thread.
- 7
Weaving
The cloth is woven on a jibata (ground loom).
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Artisans & Workshops
阿波太布製造技法保存伝承会
A preservation group formed by residents of the Kito district of Naka Town, and the designated preservation body for the national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property 'Awa no Tafu Seizo Gijutsu'. Founded in the former Kito Village, it has worked to improve and pass on the technique. Securing kozo as raw material and a shortage of successors are cited as challenges.
Official site →Hands-on Experiences
生きがい工房「太布庵」
徳島県那賀郡那賀町木頭和無田字イワツシ1
The heritage facility of the Awa Tafu Seizo Giho Hozon Denshokai, which welcomes visitors to observe and try tafu production every Tuesday. It opens at 8:30 a.m., and also opens on the second Saturday of the month if you contact it in advance. Admission is free and you may look around freely. Inquiries are accepted by phone (0884-68-2386).
View details →FAQ
Q. Why did the tafu technique survive only in Kito, Naka Town?
A. According to the Tokushima Prefectural Museum, at the end of the Meiji era tafu came to be bought at higher prices than cotton in Kito, and peddlers carried it to Aratano in Anan City to sell. Tafu was made into lunch bags and tatami edging, and production is said to have continued because it changed from cloth worn at home into a product that brought in cash.
Q. What has tafu been used for?
A. Besides work clothes and everyday wear, it has been used for bags to hold grain, lunches and tools for mountain work, and for the edging of tatami mats. When Yanagita Kunio visited Iya in the early 1900s, he recorded that there were people who wore tafu clothing all year round.