Yokohama Scarf is a traditional craft of Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, born out of the raw silk and silk textile export industry that developed following the opening of the port of Yokohama in 1859. The skills of ukiyo-e painters and printers who gathered in Yokohama after the port opened combined with raw silk and silk goods, then the mainstay of the city's exports, giving rise to a dyeing industry for silk handkerchiefs and scarves. Screen-printing techniques were established in the early Showa era, and the delicate dyeing achieved through 'tenassen' (hand printing) — pressing dye through a stencil with a spatula — won worldwide acclaim. During the postwar period of rapid economic growth, Yokohama Scarf came to account for 80% of the world's export share, and by around 1976 as much as 90% of domestic production, but production has since contracted due to a strong yen and the shift of manufacturing overseas. Even so, the hand-printing techniques of Yokohama's craftspeople continue to be passed down today, and the craft is recognized as a Kanagawa Prefecture Designated Traditional Craft.
Origin
The origins of Yokohama Scarf trace back to the opening of the port of Yokohama in 1859. Raw silk and silk goods, which became the mainstay of exports after the port opened, combined with the skills of ukiyo-e painters and printers who had gathered in Yokohama, and by the early Meiji era the production and export of silk handkerchiefs was flourishing. Throughout the Meiji era, silk products accounted for roughly 70% of Yokohama's exports, laying the foundation for the craft as a local industry.
History
In the early days, the fabric was dyed using the same woodblock printing techniques as ukiyo-e, but as demand grew, production shifted to 'hakezome' (brush dyeing), and screen-printing techniques were established in the early Showa era. During the postwar period of rapid economic growth, Yokohama came to hold 80% of the world's export share, and by around 1998 it accounted for 90% of domestic production as well, making it a leading production center. However, after the 1985 Plaza Accord led to a stronger yen, and as overseas brands shifted production back to their home countries, the scale of production shrank rapidly.
Features
Its greatest characteristic is a dyeing technique called 'tenassen' (hand printing), in which a stencil is set on a screen and dye is pressed in with a spatula, changing the stencil for each color as the pattern is built up layer by layer. The delicate printing technique used on thin silk fabric is said to be the finest in the world, and many of the processes — from plate-making to steaming and washing to fix the color — are carried out by hand by Yokohama's craftspeople.
Techniques
Tenassen (Hand Printing)
A technique in which a stencil is stretched over a screen and dye is pressed onto the fabric with a rubber spatula. The more colors used, the more stencils are needed, and the printing process is repeated many times, once for each color.
Steaming and Washing (Mushi-Mizumoto)
A finishing process in which the printed fabric is steamed at around 100°C to bring out and fix the colors, then washed to remove excess dye and paste. Only after this process are the coloring and color-fixing complete.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Design and Plate-Making
A design is developed from a pattern sketch, and the necessary number of plates (screens) is made according to the number of colors.
- 2
Printing
Dye is pressed onto the fabric with a spatula over a screen fitted with a stencil. Craftspeople make repeated passes along a 25-meter table, changing the stencil for each color as the layers are built up.
- 3
Steaming and Washing
The fabric is steamed at around 100°C to bring out and fix the colors, then washed to remove excess dye and paste.
- 4
Cutting and Sewing
The dried fabric is cut, and the edges are sewn to finish it into a scarf or stole.
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How to Buy
- .Y（ドットワイ）
- A scarf brand committed to Yokohama's 150-year hand-printing tradition. It handles everything from design to dyeing in-house, producing genuine Yokohama-made scarves at a rare surviving Yokohama workshop.Where to buy →PR
- 横浜シルクミュージアムショップ
- A shop jointly operated by ten local Yokohama scarf makers. In addition to Yokohama Scarf, visitors can purchase silk-related items such as stoles and neckties.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
シルク博物館
神奈川県横浜市中区山下町1番地
Admission is 500 yen for adults, 300 yen for seniors, and 200 yen for high school and university students. Visitors can observe live silkworms and try reeling thread from cocoons and hand-weaving, and Yokohama Scarves can be purchased at the shop on the 2nd floor.
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