History of Nishijin textile

What is Nishijin-ori?

Are you familiar with the saying, "For formal occasions, wear a dyed kimono with a woven obi"? Yuzen dyeing is a prime example of dyed kimonos, and Nishijin-ori obi are considered the most elegant of the woven obi.

Nishijin-ori refers to pre-dyed patterned woven fabrics produced in Nishijin, Kyoto. It is characterized by its wide variety and small-batch production.
Pre-dyed patterned fabrics are textiles in which patterns are woven using pre-dyed threads. Unlike Yuzen, where the fabric is dyed after weaving, pre-dyed threads are intricately woven to create patterns, requiring many steps to complete and resulting in a time-consuming and high-quality silk fabric.

This unique weaving technique is a treasure of Nishijin, passed down continuously since the Heian period, and the weavers continue to work hard every day to further enhance their creativity and expressiveness.

History of Nishijin textile

5th-6th century
Kofun period

[The origins of Nishijin weaving]
Sericulture and silk weaving were introduced to Uzumasa, Kyoto.

It is said that the Hata clan, immigrants from the continent, established their residence in the Yamashiro Province (present-day Uzumasa, Kyoto) and introduced sericulture and silk weaving techniques.

645
Taika Reforms

Nara to Heian period

794
Heian capital transfer

By order of the imperial court, the production of high-quality textiles began.

The imperial court established an office for the textile industry called the Oribe-no-Tsukasa, and began producing high-quality textiles such as twill and brocade with artisans who inherited the techniques of silk weaving.
However, as the Ritsuryo system collapsed in the mid-Heian period, government-run workshops declined, and weavers began to operate their own textile businesses.

Kamakura to Muromachi period

1467 to 1478 years
応仁の乱

During the Ōnin War, weavers gathered at the site of the Western Army's headquarters.

When the Ōnin War ended, the weavers who had fled to Osaka and Sakai returned to Kyoto and resumed their weaving business. The name "Nishijin-ori" (Nishijin weaving) was born because the area was the headquarters of the Western Army during the war.
In Nishijin, a guild called the Otoneriza was organized, and by the late Muromachi period, it had become a leading force in Kyoto's silk weaving industry.

Azuchi/Momoyama period

1590
Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan

The technology from the Ming Dynasty of China was introduced, laying the foundation for high-quality Nishijin weaving.

By incorporating techniques introduced from Ming China, they devised a new type of weaving called "monori," which involves weaving patterns and designs using pre-dyed threads. This laid the foundation for high-quality Nishijin weaving.

1600
Battle of Sekigahara

Edo Period

Nishijin enters its golden age.

Under the protection of the shogunate, Nishijin further developed as a center for producing high-quality textiles.
Its prosperity was such that silk and textile wholesalers lined the streets, and the area was so prosperous that it gave rise to the place name "Senryōga-tsuji" (meaning "thousand ryō crossroads"), with over a thousand ryō (a unit of currency) being traded in silk threads every day.

They suffered a major blow from the sumptuary laws.

In the latter half of the Edo period, Nishijin weaving faced a difficult time due to repeated famines and the effects of sumptuary laws (which prohibited luxury and encouraged frugality).

1867
Restoration of imperial rule

Meiji Era

Introducing Jacquard looms for modernization.

Due to the relocation of the capital to Tokyo, Nishijin weaving faced a critical situation.
Kyoto Prefecture then took steps to protect and nurture the industry, establishing the Nishijin Products Company. They sent craftsmen to study in France and modernized the industry by incorporating jacquard weaving technology (a weaving machine that uses patterned paper).

Taisho to Showa era

As a world-renowned producer of high-quality silk fabrics

With Western techniques becoming established and designs becoming more sophisticated, Nishijin transformed into the latest and largest silk weaving center. It became known as a world-class producer of high-quality silk textiles, surpassing even Lyon in France and Milan in Italy.

Heisei to Reiwa era

Nishijin weaving: Pursuing new possibilities

Currently, its uses have expanded beyond obi fabrics and kimonos to include neckties, Japanese clothing accessories, wall hangings, and other interior-related items, making it a product that attracts attention both domestically and internationally.