Shinshu Tsumugi is the collective name for the silk fabrics woven in many parts of Nagano Prefecture. It brings together the tsumugi (pongee silk) that developed in each area, such as Ueda Tsumugi, Matsumoto Tsumugi, Iida Tsumugi and Ina Tsumugi, as well as Ariake Tsumugi (Azumino Tsumugi) and Yamamayu Tsumugi, which use tensan (wild silkworm) thread. Since ancient times, sericulture flourished so much in Shinshu that it was called 'the land of silkworms.' Shinshu Tsumugi is said to have begun in the early Edo period, when each domain encouraged sericulture and farmers began, as a side job, to turn cocoons unsuitable for raw silk into silk floss, spin it and weave it. The thread is dyed with plant dyes before weaving, and the fabric is woven by hand, with the weft beaten in using a tenagehi (hand-thrown shuttle), to produce stripes, checks, kasuri (ikat) and solid-toned designs. The main products are kimono fabric, obi and haori, and in recent years Western clothing, bags and stoles are also made. In 1975 it became a Traditional Craft Designated by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. At workshops in Ueda City and Komagane City, visitors can try hand weaving on a loom.
Origin
Since ancient times, sericulture flourished so much in Shinshu that it was called 'the land of silkworms.' The beginnings of Shinshu Tsumugi are said to go back to ashiginu (絁), a silk fabric woven in the Nara period. In the early Edo period, the domains of Shinshu encouraged sericulture, and people began turning waste cocoons unsuitable for raw silk into silk floss, spinning it and weaving tsumugi. Sericulture areas became weaving areas as they were, and weaving spread across the prefecture as a side job for farming households.
History
After it was first shipped to Kyoto in 1750 (Kan'en 3), Shinshu tsumugi was sent to Kyoto almost every year until the Meiji period. Tsumugi from Ueda in particular appears in Ihara Saikaku's 'Nippon Eitaigura,' and it reached its peak around the time of the Kasei culture (the culture of the Bunka and Bunsei eras). It declined after Japan opened its ports at the end of the Edo period, but a revival plan was drawn up in 1952, and the prefecture and municipalities worked hard to restore it. On February 17, 1975, it was designated a national Traditional Craft.
Features
Shinshu Tsumugi is a yarn-dyed plain-weave fabric in which raw silk, tamaito (doupion silk thread) and hand-spun silk floss thread are dyed with plant dyes and woven by hand. Plants growing wild in the area are used for the dyes, and the patterns are varied, including stripes, checks, kasuri and solid tones. Ueda Tsumugi is said to be so durable that it will not tear even after its lining has been replaced three times, and it is also called 'Miura-jima' (three-lining stripes). Yamamayu Tsumugi, woven only from the thread of yamamayu (tensan) silkworms, is a specialty unique to Shinshu.
Techniques
Kusakizome (Plant Dyeing)
A technique of dyeing thread before weaving with natural dyes boiled out of plants growing wild in the area. Some workshops carry out every step themselves, from twisting the thread to dyeing, warping and hand weaving, and the maker's individuality shows in the layering of colors.
Hand Weaving with a Tenagehi (Hand-Thrown Shuttle)
A technique in which a shuttle (hi) wound with weft thread is thrown by hand from side to side and beaten in as the weaving progresses. It is set as a requirement for the national Traditional Craft, and the strength of the weaver's hands determines the texture of the cloth.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Thread Making
Raw silk, tamaito, or thread spun from silk floss is prepared and twisted.
- 2
Thread Dyeing
The thread is dyed before weaving, with dyes boiled out of plants and other materials.
- 3
Warping
The number and length of the warp threads are evened out, and the threads are arranged to match the layout of the pattern.
- 4
Hand Weaving
The weft is beaten in with a tenagehi to weave stripes, checks and kasuri.
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Artisans & Workshops
小岩井紬工房
A weaver of Ueda Tsumugi located along the old Hokkoku Kaido road in Kamishiojiri, Ueda City. Siblings carry on the business as its third generation, continuing to make tsumugi with a commitment to hand weaving. The workshop also works on dyeing with apples and shares its work through videos.
久保田織染工業
A company in Komagane City that makes bolts of Ina Tsumugi and obi by hand weaving. Everything from twisting the silk thread to dyeing, warping and hand weaving is done in-house at its factory, and it also dyes thread with plant dyes.
Official site →長野県織物工業組合
The production-area association for Shinshu Tsumugi, with its secretariat inside 久保田織染工業 in 東町, Komagane City. The production area of Shinshu Tsumugi as a national Traditional Craft spans 13 municipalities in the prefecture, including Nagano City, Matsumoto City and Ueda City, and the association brings together makers from each area.
How to Buy
- 藤本つむぎ工房
- A weaver of Ueda Tsumugi in Tokida, Ueda City, with an attached showroom. Besides Ueda Tsumugi kimono fabric, it handles items that are easy to bring into everyday life, such as Western clothing, bags and stoles. In Koaso, Ueda City, there is also the Fujimoto Shioda store, which offers hands-on experiences and a cafe.Where to buy →PR
- 小岩井紬工房
- A workshop in Kamishiojiri, Ueda City, handling Ueda Tsumugi made with a commitment to hand weaving. It is about a 6-minute walk from Nishi-Ueda Station on the Shinano Railway, and visitors can combine a visit with a loom weaving experience.
Hands-on Experiences
久保田織染工業
長野県駒ヶ根市東町2-29
A hand-weaving experience to make a vase mat costs about 2,000 yen per person and takes 30 to 40 minutes. A factory tour costs about 500 yen per person (free for high school students and younger). Both are available on weekdays only and require a reservation.
View details →小岩井紬工房
長野県上田市上塩尻40
Visitors choose thread in their favorite colors and weave a coaster, working the treadles with their feet while passing the shuttle from side to side. It takes about 40 minutes, and a reservation is required in advance.
View details →藤本つむぎ工房
長野県上田市常田2-27-17
An experience of weaving a vase mat of about 27 cm by 17 cm on a hand loom is offered year-round. It is for ages 10 and up, with up to 3 people per session. A reservation is required in advance.
View details →FAQ
Q. How do Ueda Tsumugi, Matsumoto Tsumugi and the like differ from Shinshu Tsumugi?
A. Shinshu Tsumugi is a name covering the tsumugi woven in various parts of Nagano Prefecture. Ueda Tsumugi, Matsumoto Tsumugi, Iida Tsumugi, Ina Tsumugi, Ariake Tsumugi (Azumino Tsumugi) and others are names that carry the name of each production area, and all of them are included in the national Traditional Craft 'Shinshu Tsumugi.'
Q. What are the characteristics of Ueda Tsumugi?
A. Ueda Tsumugi centers on striped and checked patterns, and at Ueda's workshops artisans handle everything in-house, from dyeing to weaving. Another characteristic is that there are no strict rules on dyeing or design, so makers can freely express colors and designs. It is also known for a durability suited to everyday wear.
Q. What is tensan?
A. Also called yamamayu, it is a vivid green wild silkworm that lives naturally in the mountains and fields. In the Hotaka Ariake area of Azumino City, its rearing began in the Tenmei era (1781 to 1788), and around Meiji 30, 8 million cocoons were produced a year. Ariake Tsumugi, woven from this thread, is also included in Shinshu Tsumugi.