Shiozawa Tsumugi is a yarn-dyed (dyed before weaving) silk textile woven mainly in the Shiozawa district of Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture. Yarn-dyeing is a method in which the thread is dyed first and then woven into cloth. Bast-fiber textiles have been woven in the Shiozawa area since ancient times, and bast-fiber cloth woven here during the Tenpyo era of the Nara period survives in the Shosoin Repository. Shiozawa Tsumugi is said to have been born around the Meiwa era (1764–1771) in the mid-Edo period by bringing the techniques of this bast-fiber textile, namely Echigo Jofu, to silk. Raw silk or tamaito is used for the warp and thread hand-spun from silk floss (mawata) for the weft, and kasuri (ikat) threads dyed by hand-binding or hand-rubbing (te-surikomi) are aligned one by one as the cloth is woven. Extremely fine kasuri called kagasuri (mosquito kasuri) and the delicate patterns of cross (juji) kasuri and tortoiseshell (kikko) kasuri create an elegant, understated character. It became a Traditional Craft Designated by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in February 1975. The same Shiozawa production area is also home to Hon-Shiozawa, long known by the name 'Shiozawa Omeshi,' which was designated as a separate Traditional Craft in December 1976.
Origin
The history of textiles in the Shiozawa area is long, and bast-fiber cloth woven here during the Tenpyo era of the Nara period is preserved in the Shosoin Repository. The bast-fiber weaving techniques handed down in this area later came to be known as Echigo Jofu. Shiozawa Tsumugi brings these Echigo Jofu techniques to silk weaving, and it is said to have been created around the Meiwa era (1764–1771) in the mid-Edo period. Its intricate kasuri patterns make use of the traditional techniques of Echigo Jofu.
History
In Shiozawa, silk weaving spread on the foundation of bast-fiber weaving techniques, and by the Taisho period, silk textile production is said to have exceeded that of bast-fiber textiles. During World War II there was a period when production was restricted as a luxury, but the techniques were passed down after the war. In February 1975, Shiozawa Tsumugi was designated a national Traditional Craft. The following year, in December 1976, Hon-Shiozawa from the same production area was also designated a Traditional Craft.
Features
Shiozawa Tsumugi is a yarn-dyed plain weave that uses raw silk or tamaito for the warp and hand-spun floss-silk thread for the weft. Extremely fine cross and tortoiseshell kasuri, woven by aligning kasuri threads dyed by hand-binding or hand-rubbing one by one, create its distinctive elegance and composure. The cloth is light, with a smooth, crisp feel. The requirements for a Traditional Craft stipulate that a hand-thrown shuttle (tenagehi) be used to beat in the weft, and that kasuri threads be dyed by hand-binding, hand-rubbing, or board-clamp resist dyeing (itajime).
Techniques
Kagasuri, cross kasuri, and tortoiseshell kasuri
Kagasuri is kasuri made of rows of tiny dots, cross (juji) kasuri has cross-shaped motifs, and tortoiseshell (kikko) kasuri has hexagons resembling a tortoise shell. These patterns are expressed by precisely aligning the kasuri of the warp and weft, and they incorporate the traditional techniques of Echigo Jofu.
Hand-binding and hand-rubbing (te-surikomi)
Methods of dyeing kasuri thread. Hand-binding leaves undyed areas by tying off parts of the thread, while hand-rubbing dyes the thread by rubbing dye into the necessary areas. In Shiozawa Tsumugi, kasuri threads are dyed by these methods or by board-clamp resist dyeing (itajime).
Weaving with a hand-thrown shuttle (tenagehi)
The shuttle (hi) is a boat-shaped tool for passing the weft between the warp threads. For Shiozawa Tsumugi, the use of the tenagehi, in which the shuttle is thrown by hand to beat in the weft, is set as a requirement for a Traditional Craft.
Materials Used
| Main Production Areas |
|
|---|
Artisans & Workshops
やまだ織
A weaving house founded in Shiozawa, Minamiuonuma City, in the second year of the Taisho era (1913). It incorporates dyeing techniques into Shiozawa's silk textiles, which apply the techniques of Echigo Jofu, and produces textiles such as Hon-Shiozawa and Shiozawa Gasuri.
Official site →How to Buy
- 塩沢の織物と体験 織の戸 -Ori no To-
- A facility that took over from the Shiozawa Tsumugi Memorial Hall and has been open since April 2026. It sells bolts of authentic Shiozawa textiles such as Shiozawa Tsumugi and Hon-Shiozawa, as well as small items made with the textiles, and also has an online shop.Where to buy →PR
- kendenten（新潟県伝統工芸産業振興協議会）
- The website of a council that introduces and sells traditional crafts of Niigata Prefecture. Its online shop carries small items made from Shiozawa textile fabric, such as business card holders, card cases, and pen cases.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
塩沢の織物と体験 織の戸 -Ori no To-
新潟県南魚沼市塩沢1227-14
Offers hand-loom weaving experiences and workshops for making small items from Shiozawa textiles. The Shiozawa kasuri experience (3 cm of hand weaving, frame included) costs from around 3,300 yen. Open from 9:00 to 17:00; closed on Wednesdays and during the New Year holidays. Reservations can be made through the official website.
View details →FAQ
Q. What is the difference between Shiozawa Tsumugi and Hon-Shiozawa?
A. Both are silk textiles woven in Shiozawa, Minamiuonuma City, but they are separate Traditional Crafts. Shiozawa Tsumugi is a tsumugi (pongee) that uses hand-spun floss-silk thread for the weft. Hon-Shiozawa, also called 'Shiozawa Omeshi,' uses raw silk; the weft is given a hard twist, and shibo (fine crinkles) are brought out by yumomi (kneading in hot water).
Q. Since when has Hon-Shiozawa been woven?
A. The origin of Hon-Shiozawa is said to date back to the Kanbun era (1661–1672), when Hori Jiro Masatoshi devised a textile with shibo brought out by hard-twisted thread. In December 1976, it was designated as a Traditional Craft separate from Shiozawa Tsumugi.
Q. What other textiles are made in Shiozawa?
A. In addition to Echigo Jofu, a bast-fiber textile, and Hon-Shiozawa, a silk textile, there is Natsu-Shiozawa. Natsu-Shiozawa is a textile for midsummer that uses hard-twisted tamaito or raw silk for both the warp and the weft, and it is characterized by its sheerness and crisp feel. It emerged to meet the demand for summer wear after bast-fiber weaving declined.