Enshu Cotton Tsumugi (Enshu Men Tsumugi) is a cotton textile that has been woven in the Enshu region of western Shizuoka Prefecture. Enshu is warm with long hours of sunshine, and from the Edo period it flourished as a cotton-producing area alongside Mikawa and Senshu. Hand-woven cotton textiles spread as a side job for farming households, and the striped cotton came to be called Enshu stripes (Enshu-jima). Using uneven nep yarn and slub yarn for both warp and weft and weaving slowly on traditional shuttle looms produces a rustic texture like that of tsumugi (pongee). Another feature is that with each wash the twist of the yarn loosens and takes in air, making the cloth softer to the touch. From the Meiji era onward, helped by loom inventions by Toyoda Sakichi and others, Enshu grew into one of Japan's leading textile-producing areas. Today ぬくもり工房 in Hamamatsu City produces fabrics and small items, with more than 100 patterns available at any given time. Said to be a root of Hamamatsu's textile design, it is cherished as a textile that represents the region.
Origin
The Enshu region, warm with long hours of sunshine, was well suited to growing cotton. Because it was a cotton-producing area by the mid-Edo period, farming households took up hand-weaving cotton textiles as a side job. In Koka 2 (1845), Inoue Masaharu, lord of the Hamamatsu Domain, is said to have encouraged weaving as side work for the domain's retainers. The striped cotton produced in this way was traded at the market in Kasai and called Kasai-jima (Kasai stripes), and eventually came to be known collectively as Enshu stripes (Enshu-jima).
History
小山みゑ, born in 1821, is called 'the mother of Enshu textiles'; by running a textile business in Hamamatsu, 小山みゑ laid the foundations of the production area. In Meiji 29 (1896), Toyoda Sakichi invented a narrow-width power loom, and output rose sharply. Enshu became one of Japan's leading cotton textile-producing areas, but from the 1970s onward it shrank due to the spread of synthetic fibers and the shift of production overseas. In 2006, the third-generation successor of a Hamamatsu textile wholesaler took over the cotton tsumugi business and founded ぬくもり工房, which promotes the appeal of Enshu Cotton Tsumugi.
Features
Enshu Cotton Tsumugi is a cotton textile that uses uneven nep yarn and slub yarn for both warp and weft. The layered textures of the yarns create a rustic, tsumugi-like feel. It is woven slowly on narrow-width shuttle looms more than 50 years old, at a pace of about 15-20 m per loom per day, giving it a gentle texture close to that of hand-woven cloth. Each wash loosens the twist of the yarn so that it takes in air, and the more it is used, the softer it feels. The fabric is narrow, about 36-40 cm wide, and has been used for everyday clothing such as farm work clothes and kimono.
Techniques
Weaving on shuttle looms
Traditional looms are used, in which a tool called a shuttle carrying the weft travels back and forth between the warp threads to weave the cloth. Output is small compared with high-speed looms, but weaving slowly gives the cloth a warm texture.
Materials Used
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Artisans & Workshops
ぬくもり工房
An Enshu Cotton Tsumugi workshop with its main store in 染地台, Hamana Ward, Hamamatsu City. It was founded in 2006 by 大高旭, who was born into a textile wholesaler that had been in business since the generation of 大高旭's grandfather, taking over the cotton tsumugi business from the family company. The workshop offers more than 100 fabric patterns at any given time and produces kimono fabric bolts and sundries.
Official site →How to Buy
- ぬくもり工房 Main Store
- At the main store in 染地台, Hamana Ward, Hamamatsu City, you can buy Enshu Cotton Tsumugi kimono fabric bolts, fabric by the meter, remnants and small items. Rare looms are also on display in the store, and advice on tailoring is available. Open 10:00-18:00; closed on Wednesdays.Where to buy →PR
- ぬくもり工房 Official Online Shop
- The official online shop run by ぬくもり工房. In addition to fabrics in traditional stripes and new patterns, it carries everyday goods made with Enshu Cotton Tsumugi. It also has stores on Rakuten Ichiba and LINE Gift.Where to buy →PR
FAQ
Q. What is the difference between Enshu Cotton Tsumugi and Enshu textiles?
A. Enshu textiles is a general term for textiles made in the Enshu area, and the name is also registered as a regional collective trademark. Enshu Cotton Tsumugi is a traditional cotton textile within that category, dating back to the Edo period. Enshu Cotton Tsumugi sits within the broad category of Enshu textiles.
Q. The name includes 'tsumugi'. Is it a silk textile?
A. Enshu Cotton Tsumugi is made from cotton. Uneven nep and slub yarns are woven slowly on traditional shuttle looms to give it a rustic, tsumugi-like texture. It can be washed in water at home and becomes softer the more it is washed.
Q. Is there anywhere to stay where I can experience Enshu Cotton Tsumugi?
A. At 界 遠州, a hot spring ryokan in Hamamatsu City, Enshu Cotton Tsumugi has been incorporated into every guest room with the cooperation of ぬくもり工房. It is used for shoji screens, lampshades, cushions and more, so guests can enjoy the colorful, nostalgic texture of cotton tsumugi during their stay.