Fujiori; ancient weaving from tree

ancient weaving, oldest cloth in japan

Nihon Shoki, The Chronicles of Japan (720), the second oldest record of Japanese history, describes the birth of the gods and Japanese archipelago. The record also shows livelihood of ancient people, including farming, custume, and food.

What did ancient people wear for their custume?
In the 8th century, the techonology of silk cultivation and weaving Kimono (traditional costume) was introduced through Silkroad, which extends from the middle-eastern countries to Chinese continent. Silk textile has been delivered to the imperial court as noble attire.

On the other hand, villagers collected native plants, such as hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), ramie (Boehmeria nivea var nipponivea) to utilize fiber for their clothing.The species of the plants used as fiber were different between regions. In the mountainous region of San-in area, villagers are generally poor and didnot have enough lands. Their only source is picking vines of Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) or Kudzu(Pueraria lobata) Paper mulberry(Broussonetia).

Fujiori, weaving wisteria vine

These skills are transmitted in the rural area of San-in region.
“Fujiori hozon kai” promotes weaving from wisteria trees, and students can learn how to collect vines of the plants, and extract fibers.

The fiber is rough at first, and boiling several times soften the
texture. Twisted by using traditional hand machinery.
Nowadays, people forgot these traditonal knowledge, but native plants grown in the mountain as ever tell us the way life of human beeing started in the co-existance with nature.

how to learn about fujiori?

To learn about fujiori, only one place in Japan, miyazu in kyoto is still producing.
you can learn and see how to weave fuji, wisteria plant.

fujiori kaikan
address: kamiseya, miyazu city, kyoto
more information:
amanohashidate tourism association
website http://www.amanohashidate.jp/lang/en/
[TEL]+81 (0)772-22-8030
（Office Hours：AM9:00 - PM6:00）