Yomitanzan Hanaori is a patterned textile handed down in Yomitan Village, in central Okinawa Island, characterized by geometric floral motifs created by floating the warp and weft threads as they are woven. It is said to have originated when the float-weave technique, introduced from the continent during the 14th-15th centuries - the Great Trade Era when the Ryukyu Kingdom flourished through trade with China and Southeast Asia - developed uniquely in Yomitanzan (present-day Yomitan Village). The fabric was prized as tribute cloth presented to the Ryukyu royal government and as clothing for shizoku (samurai-class) families. The craft declined after the Meiji era and was nearly lost during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II, but in 1964 volunteers from Yomitan Village worked to revive it, drawing on the memories of elders and surviving old fabrics, and the technique was restored after a gap of roughly 90 years. Those who led the revival went on to form the Yomitanzan Hanaori Cooperative Association, which now trains successors and passes on the techniques. The patterns feature three basic motifs - jinbana (coin flower), ojibana (fan flower), and kajimayabana (windmill flower) - each embodying wishes for wealth, descendants' prosperity, and longevity. Designated a national Traditional Craft in 1976, the textile is used today in a wide range of products, from cotton and silk obi sashes and kimono cloth to minsa obi.
Origin
The craft is said to have originated in the 14th-15th centuries, during the Great Trade Era when the Ryukyu Kingdom flourished through trade with China and Southeast Asia, when the float-weave technique introduced from the continent developed uniquely in Yomitanzan (present-day Yomitan Village). The fabric was woven as tribute cloth for the Ryukyu royal government and also used for shizoku clothing, nurturing a regional style centered on the three basic hanaori motifs.
History
The craft declined after the Meiji era, and the technique was nearly lost following the Battle of Okinawa in the Pacific War. In 1964, volunteers from Yomitan Village worked to revive it by drawing on the memories of elders and surviving heirloom textiles, restoring the technique after roughly 90 years. It was designated an Okinawa Prefecture Intangible Cultural Property in 1975 and a national Traditional Craft in 1976, and the Yomitanzan Hanaori Cooperative Association now leads efforts to train successors and promote the craft.
Features
Its greatest characteristic is the geometric, three-dimensional floral pattern created on the fabric surface through the hanaori (float-weave) technique, in which the warp or weft threads are floated. The three basic motifs - jinbana, ojibana, and kajimayabana - embody wishes for wealth, descendants' prosperity, and longevity. Another feature is the use of threads dyed with plant dyes such as Ryukyu indigo, fukugi, and tekachi.
Techniques
Hanaori (Float Weave)
A technique in which the warp or weft threads are regularly floated as they are woven in, creating a three-dimensional floral pattern on the fabric surface. It is the central technique that defines Yomitanzan Hanaori.
Three Basic Floral Motifs
The three basic motifs - jinbana (wealth), ojibana (descendants' prosperity), and kajimayabana (longevity) - are combined to weave more than 30 geometric patterns.
Materials Used
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How to Buy
- 読谷山花織事業協同組合
- A cooperative association that displays and sells hanaori products at the Traditional Crafts Center in Zakimi, Yomitan Village. It handles a wide range of items, from obi sashes and kimono cloth to small accessories.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
読谷村伝統工芸センター（読谷山花織事業協同組合）
沖縄県中頭郡読谷村座喜味2974-2
Admission and viewing are free. The coaster-making experience, which requires a reservation, starts at around 3,300 yen.
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