Oitama Tsumugi is the collective name for tsumugi silk textiles woven in the Oitama region of southern Yamagata Prefecture (Yonezawa City, Nagai City, and Shirataka Town in Nishiokitama District). It traces its origins to Uesugi Yozan, lord of the Yonezawa domain, who encouraged the weaving industry as part of a policy to promote local industry and rebuild the domain's finances. From this beginning, three production areas -- Yonezawa Tsumugi, Nagai Tsumugi, and Shirataka Tsumugi -- each developed their own distinctive techniques. Yonezawa Tsumugi is known for the beauty of its dyeing with safflower (benibana) and other plant dyes; Nagai Tsumugi for the intricate patterns of its weft ikat and combined warp-and-weft ikat weaves; and Shirataka Tsumugi for the delicate small ikat patterns created by 'itajime-gasuri' (board-clamp ikat dyeing), a technique passed down only among weavers in Shirataka Town nationwide. In 1976 (Showa 51), the tsumugi of these three production areas were jointly designated a Traditional Craft Designated by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry under the unified name 'Oitama Tsumugi.' Its rustic, warm texture and the handcrafted beauty of its ikat patterns continue to attract many kimono enthusiasts.
Origin
The origins of Oitama Tsumugi are said to trace back to the mid-Edo period, when Uesugi Yozan (Harunori), lord of the Yonezawa domain, promoted a policy to develop local industry in order to rebuild the domain's troubled finances. He invited weaving and indigo-dyeing craftsmen from Echigo Province (present-day Ojiya) and had the daughters of domain retainers learn weaving, encouraging it as a side occupation for women. From this point on, the Yonezawa, Nagai, and Shirataka areas of the Oitama region each nurtured their own distinctive textile culture.
History
From the Meiji era onward, the three production areas of Yonezawa, Nagai, and Shirataka each developed their own ikat (kasuri) techniques and dyeing methods. The itajime-gasuri technique was brought to Shirataka Town in 1896 (Meiji 29) and became established there as a method for creating delicate small ikat patterns. Following the enactment of the Act on the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries in 1974, a movement arose to protect and develop the tsumugi of all three production areas together, and in 1976 they were designated a national Traditional Craft under the unified name 'Oitama Tsumugi.'
Features
A shared characteristic of Oitama Tsumugi is the hand-weaving of thread -- raw silk, tama-ito (double-cocoon silk thread), and mawata-tsumugi-ito (thread hand-spun from silk floss) -- dyed with plant dyes such as safflower (benibana) and kariyasu grass. Each production area shows a different character: Yonezawa Tsumugi for the coloring of its safflower and plant dyeing, Nagai Tsumugi for the patterns of its weft ikat and combined warp-and-weft ikat weaves, and Shirataka Tsumugi for the delicate small ikat patterns and pronounced crepe texture (shibo) created by its itajime-gasuri technique. Within the rustic texture of its basic yarn-dyed plain weave, the individuality of each production area lives on.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Ikat thread dyeing
Ikat (kasuri) thread is made using techniques such as 'te-kukuri' (hand-binding) and 'te-suri-komi' (hand rubbing-in of dye) to dye in advance the sections that will form the pattern.
- 2
Itajime-gasuri (Shirataka Tsumugi)
Thread is sandwiched between carved boards and clamped tightly, precisely controlling where the dye penetrates to create delicate small ikat patterns.
- 3
Weaving
The dyed ikat thread is set on a hand loom and woven into cloth while carefully aligning the pattern.
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Artisans & Workshops
株式会社新田
A Yonezawa weaving workshop operating continuously since the Meiji era, handling everything in-house from safflower dyeing of the thread to weaving. It also accepts workshop tours and safflower-dyeing experiences.
Official site →小松織物工房
Founded in 1880 in Shirataka Town. One of the few weaving workshops nationwide to carry on the 'itajime-gasuri' technique, producing textiles such as Shirotaka Omeshi and Shirataka Itajime Kogasuri.
Official site →How to Buy
- 紅花染新田
- Nitta's directly run store in Matsugasaki, Yonezawa City. It sells bolts of safflower-dyed fabric and small items, and also accepts factory tours (free, reservation required).Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
紅花染新田
山形県米沢市松が岬2-3-36
Reservation required. A safflower-dyeing experience (one handkerchief) costs around 1,100 yen; factory tours are free.
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