Iwate Homespun is a woolen textile made from hand-spun yarn and finished by hand weaving. It is said to have begun around 1881, when sheep farming was introduced to the Ninohe region and a British missionary stationed there taught the local people how to spin and weave the wool. The craft was later developed into an industry by the mother-and-son team of Umehara Otoko and Goro in the former town of Towa (now part of Hanamaki City), and the techniques spread to several workshops and companies in and around Morioka, including Michinoku Akane-kai and Nippon Homespun. The hand-spun yarn gives the fabric a distinctive elasticity and resistance to wrinkling, along with a light, comfortable feel, and its muted, elegant colors from plant dyes are another highlight. Iwate is said to be the only production area in Japan where hand-spinning techniques are still practiced today, and its stoles, mufflers, and other products are prized as durable textiles that can be used across three generations of a family.
Origin
Iwate Homespun is said to have begun around 1881, when sheep were introduced to the Ninohe region and a British missionary stationed in the area taught local people the techniques of dyeing, hand-spinning, and weaving wool. Homespun itself originated in Scotland and Ireland, but in Iwate the techniques took root during this period and gradually developed into a regional industry.
History
The person who developed it into an industry was Umehara Otoko, who raised sheep as part of a mixed farming operation in the former town of Towa (now part of Hanamaki City), and her techniques were passed down to her son, Goro. After the war, the Morioka Women's Cooperative Workshop (later Michinoku Akane-kai) was established in Morioka as a vocational relief facility, while in Towa, Kikuchi Hisashi took over the business of a wool-processing company and founded Kikuchi Homespun Mingei-sha, which later became Nippon Homespun.
Features
Hand-spinning the wool gives the fabric a distinctive elasticity, making it resistant to wrinkling and comfortably light to wear. The soft, refined colors produced by plant dyes are another feature, and with careful care the fabric can remain durable enough to be used across three generations of a family. Iwate is said to be the only production area in Japan where hand-spinning techniques are still practiced today.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Washing and dyeing the wool
Sheared wool is washed and then dyed, often using plant dyes.
- 2
Carding
The dyed wool fibers are aligned to make them easier to spin.
- 3
Hand-spinning
The wool is spun by hand, one strand at a time, using a spindle or spinning wheel.
- 4
Hand-weaving
The hand-spun yarn is set on a loom and woven by hand over a long period of time.
- 5
Finishing
The woven fabric is finished into products such as stoles and mufflers.
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Artisans & Workshops
日本ホームスパン
A company headquartered in Towa, Hanamaki City, and one of the few homespun makers in Japan that handles every stage in-house, from dyeing to weaving and finishing.
Official site →みちのくあかね会
A long-established workshop in Morioka City, originally a postwar vocational relief facility, that continues to produce homespun goods rooted in hand-spinning and hand-weaving.
Official site →How to Buy
- 日本ホームスパン公式オンラインストア
- Offers stoles, mufflers, and other items handmade at the workshop in Towa, Hanamaki City. Stoles are priced mainly in the 50,000 to 100,000 yen range.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
ホームスパン みちのくあかね会
岩手県盛岡市大慈寺町10-34
A hand-weaving workshop for making coasters, from around 1,000 yen (about 20 to 30 minutes). Reservation required; closed Sundays, holidays, and the New Year period.
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